The White Queen
by inkheart9459
Summary: A week ago Emma decided that she was going to marry Regina even if everyone else wasn't on board. She thought they would come around, but it doesn't seem like that's coming anytime soon. With threats both inside and outside of the kingdom threatening, Emma has to hold the kingdom together with the help of her knight and hope that whatever moves they make won't get them killed.
1. Chapter 1

This is a sequel to the story The Black Knight, so if you haven't read that this is going to make 0 sense. Just a heads up.

You guys wanted it, now here it is. And as I said, that whole epilogue thing sort of spiraled into a whole entirely new story. Didn't think you guys would mind. Since said story is going to be...well rather epic I decided to publish it chapter by chapter instead of writing it all before I published it as is per my normal. I didn't want to keep you guys waiting anymore. I do have a good head start, though, so there won't be any major posting gaps. The story starts not long after The Black Knight ends so nothing significant was skipped over in that line. As a little twist, though, this story is from Emma's POV instead of Regina's. I hope you guys like it and that this story keeps with the momentum of the last one. I've got to say, the response blew me away on The Black Knight and those of you returning, thank you. With that, enjoy guys.

* * *

Emma stood on her balcony and surveyed the ever growing crowd, a small smile on her face. It was almost time for the official announcement to the kingdom of her engagement to Regina. Many of them had been at the competition she was sure. She had heard more than a few whispers throughout the palace wondering just why the official announcement was taking so long.

"Emma." Snow White burst onto the balcony, ruining her peaceful moment.

Emma turned and looked at the exact reason that it had taken so long. Or at least one of them, she supposed. The entire council hadn't exactly been supportive either. The smile slipped into a frown.

"Mother." Emma inclined her head. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be getting ready?" She smoothed down her white dress carefully. She had been ready for hours now.

"Emma, are you truly sure you want to do this? Once we make the announcement it can't be undone."

"It couldn't be undone anyway, mother. You're the one who made the decree stating that the winner of the tournament would have my hand in marriage."

"But there are ways to get out of that now, before the announcement."

"You mean her death, Mother." Emma turned back to watch the crowd in the courtyard.

"She doesn't have to die. She just has to disappear from the kingdom."

Emma felt her muscles bunching up. She hadn't been able to relax around her mother since the tournament ended over a week prior. At this point she was questioning whether she ever would again. Royal parents and children had a rather formal relationship at points, but her parents had truly loved her. Now…they still loved her she was sure, but it was hard to remember when her mother was trying to kill off her fiancée.

"If those two things aren't the same thing mother then I am not princess of this kingdom."

"Emma…you've got to think of what's best for the kingdom."

"And you think Regina is not. Believe me, I've been listening even if I'd rather not." She turned to look at her mother. "But you told me months ago that I had to start acting more like a princess and less like a commoner. Every single improvement in how I carried myself as royalty came from Regina. She knows exactly how to rule a kingdom. She is the most qualified to help me defend the kingdom and help me shape it into what I want it to be. Or have you forgotten that she was a princess once upon a time herself?"

"Of the Dark Kingdom, Emma!" Her mother was exasperated now. She reached out and laid a hand on Emma's shoulder. Emma shrugged it off easily.

"I'm well aware. She competed in the tournament under their flag, and that was after she told me how she ended up here. Believe me, mother, I know."

"Then how could you want her to rule with you? She's a murderer. If Cora finds out her daughter is in this kingdom then gods help us all."

"And who better to help defend the kingdom against her than her own daughter? I'm not calling off the announcement. I will marry Regina as your decree said I would." She turned to walk back inside her rooms. "You wanted a princess who could make the right decisions and stand by them no matter how hard. Funny how you now have two such princesses and you're fighting against it every step of the way."

She grabbed her tiara off her vanity and placed it on her head snuggly, fixing her hair around it so it sat neatly. Emma turned to her mother, still standing in the doorway to the balcony.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go see how Regina is getting on. It's been quite a while since she was last required to wear a dress and I wouldn't miss this for the world."

She swept out of her rooms and strode down the hall. The path between her rooms and Regina's should have been worn down as much as she had walked it in the week since she had brought Regina up from the dungeons. She had spent every waking moment she could with the other woman. Of course Regina had hated feeling so coddled by her, but Emma had ignored her. Just because the other woman could wield weapons with deadly accuracy and had insight into the everyday workings of court politics didn't mean that Emma was going to let the woman out of her sight before the announcement. Her mother, or some other court idiot, might get it into their head that it would be great time to kidnap her fiancée to force her to marry someone else. But the announcement would be binding. She could marry no one else but Regina then.

She pushed open the doors and slipped inside. A smile made its way onto her face again. Regina was standing in a dress designed much like her own, mostly white with gold accents throughout. She truly looked gorgeous.

Emma made her way over to stand by Regina as the woman pinned her hair up into a complicated braid. "You know, there are servants to do such things."

Regina shrugged. "I prefer getting ready on my own, always have. It only intensified after becoming a knight. If you must know I did let the girls you sent me lace me into this gods awful dress. I forgot just how uncomfortable corsets are."

Emma grimaced in sympathy. Corsets were of the devil. She glanced down at the scoop neck of Regina's dress. Or maybe not that evil.

"I'm afraid you'll have to get used to them again."

Regina slipped the last pin into place and turned towards Emma. "Of that, I'm well aware. Corsets are still better than those idiots you call a council so all isn't truly lost."

Emma laughed. "Fair enough." She tucked a stray strand of hair behind Regina's ear. "Are you ready?"

Regina nodded. "I'm quite ready to get back to work."

Emma rolled her eyes. Of course Regina would remember that she had promised that she could return to her knightly duties once they had officially announced their engagement.

"You were assigned to guard me until your commander told you otherwise, were you not?"

Regina nodded. "Though perhaps now it might be a conflict of interest."

"Why? I'm your fiancée. It would make sense for you to protect me."

"People who are emotionally invested in those they're protecting make stupid decisions."

Emma turned and laid her hand of Regina's shoulder, relishing the warmth she felt through the dress's thin fabric. "We are the only two in this entire castle who know that this relationship could evolve into something more than just a fulfillment of duty."

Regina shook her head. "Perhaps the nobility will see it as such, but the servants? They're far more observant and clever than you realize. They realize the only reason to risk one's life for a woman's hand isn't power. Power can be obtained in other…far less deadly ways."

Emma sighed and squeezed Regina's shoulder before dropping her hand. "We'll deal with that later then. I want you to stay assigned to my personal guard if you insist on working. You're about to become a princess, you really don't have to work anymore."

"It's rather because I'm becoming a princess that I want to keep working." Regina turned away from her. "I don't want to feel like I'm returning to my childhood. Resuming my position as a knight will help keep such feelings at bay."

Emma was more than a little taken aback. Regina hadn't shared such reasons with her before. She wouldn't have questioned her decision for an instant if she had. But then again she probably should have thought of that before. She knew of Regina's past, more perhaps than anyone in this kingdom did.

She looked over at Regina's now slightly hunched form. She wanted to reach out and comfort her, but she wasn't sure how. They were getting married in a month and yet they weren't in love, not yet. They had made small, constant steps in that direction since they had met, but they were still at that awkward stage where they didn't quite know enough about each other, more than friends, less than lovers. She knew Regina had feelings for her and she was pretty sure the aching in her heart at seeing Regina so in distress meant she probably did, but damn if she knew what do to about it.

"Uh, um, I'm sorry, Regina. You should do whatever you think is best for you." Emma fought not to trip over her words in her frustration with herself.

"Thank you, your highness."

Emma's voice softened. "Hey, what did we say about you addressing me by honorifics?"

Regina turned to face her again, face drawn. "That since we're getting married I should stop such practices."

"Yeah. So." She shot Regina a significant look.

The muscles in Regina's face relaxed just slightly. "Thank you, Emma."

She sent a small smile Regina's way. "Better."

A knock on the door interrupted whatever Regina was about to say next. "My lady, it's time." A serving girl of no more than fifteen peeked her head around the door. Her eyes widened at the sight of Emma. "Oh, I'm sorry, your highness, I didn't realize you were speaking to your betrothed. I apologize." She curtsied deeply.

Emma waved off the apology. "It's of no worry. We do need to get to the balcony on time. Wouldn't do to be late to our own engagement announcement, would it?" She smiled at the girl.

Emma turned to face Regina. "Ready?"

"As ever. I didn't miss the pomp of being a royal." She offered Emma her arm.

Emma smiled widely and took it. They walked from the room arm in arm. Emma liked this closeness between them. Not for the first time she was infinitely glad that Regina had won the tournament.

They arrived at the doors leading to the grand balcony a few minutes later. Her parents were already there dressed in their best. Emma had to hand it to her mother, for a Queen she got ready remarkably quick. Probably the years of practice helped. Her dress was more resplendent than either her or Regina's, the perfect princess gown that had become her mother's signature, with the white flowers from which Snow drew her name weaved through her hair. For being ambivalent about the engagement she did not look the part.

Through the doors the chatter of the crowd below could be easily heard even from so high up. Butterflies started in the pit of Emma's stomach. She had spoken in front of large crowds before, but always got nervous right before she spoke each and every time. Not much would be required of her today, but that didn't help.

Beside her she felt Regina take a deep breath. Emma squeezed her arm. She was glad she wasn't the only one who was feeling this. Regina smiled at her, just a bare up twitch of her lips. Still, it sent the butterflies into overdrive. Emma sighed silently, that was not what she needed.

The trumpets sounded out on the balcony and the doors opened. Emma forced her breathing to stay slow and even. Her parents strode out to the cheers of the crowd. She and Regina were to stay inside until they were called forward. A few minutes now and Regina would be that much safer from the machinations of her parents and the council. She finally understood the purpose of this tradition, a marriage with a questionable person was better than an entire line ending.

Emma didn't hear a word her mother said, nor those of her father. She focused on her breathing and the fact that it was all about to become official, which was as soothing as it was nerve wracking. Regina was truly the only one that she had any potential to have anything like love with. But what if it didn't work out? What then?

But then Regina was pulling her forward and she was looking at her in that annoyed way that she had every single time Emma had done something stupid for a princess and suddenly it was better, her heart stopped pounding in her ears and her breathing slowed to a normal pace without her having to force it. They walked together and stepped to the edge of the balcony and looked out over the crowd who was cheering and some were chanting about the black knight. Emma smiled and turned to Regina, cocking one eyebrow and looking out at the crowd again. She could tell Regina was struggling to hold back her eye roll.

Her mother stepped up beside them and started with the scripted lines for the ceremony.

"Emma of House White, who do you present to the kingdom?"

Emma took a breath and then spoke loudly, voice projecting over the crowd. "I present Regina of House Mills, former princess of the Dark Kingdom and current knight to the White Kingdom."

"Why do you present her to the kingdom?" Her mother's gaze on her bordered on harsh, trying to intimidate Emma into changing her answer.

"I present her for the kingdom's approval so that she may become my fiancée."

She visibly saw the corners of her mother's eyes tighten. "Regina of House Mills are you amiable to this proposition?"

"So long as the kingdom accepts me, I am willing." Regina stood tall, looking over the subjects who were assembled below regally, but still with a small smile on her lips.

Her mother turned to fully face the crowd. "And does the kingdom accept this proposition?"

The roar below was deafening. Emma had to control her expression. It wouldn't do for everyone to see her shoot her mother a smug look. But damn if she didn't feel extremely smug in that moment. Regina had much more support than her mother ever counted on, even if it was just from the peasants.

"Then as Queen of the White kingdom I declare that this union shall proceed. Emma of House White is now officially engaged to Regina of House Mills. As per custom of our kingdom you shall marry no other. The wedding shall be in a month's time and the entire kingdom is invited to the festivities."

With that her mother turned from the crowd, grabbed her father's arm, and left the balcony at a rather swift pace.

Emma held back an eye roll at her mother's rather dramatic exit. She turned to Regina and smiled widely. Regina smiled back more reservedly. Emma grabbed Regina's hand, waving at the crowd with the other before tugging Regina back towards the palace. With the announcement over with there were still things to do, a council meeting to sit in on, wedding planners to meet with, and she really wanted to get all her other duties out of the way with enough time to spare so that she and Regina could go riding. She had refused to leave the palace in the last week for fear that her mother or someone else would have a convenient accident planned for Regina. Now with their engagement announced, the danger her parents presented was out of the picture and what threat was left was only that they faced every day. Perhaps if there wasn't time for a ride there would at least be time for a walk in the gardens. She just needed outside of the palace and she was pretty sure that Regina felt the same way.

"So, excited for the council meeting now that they'll stop suggesting ways to break the decree of the tournament?" Emma asked, heading towards the council chambers.

"Oh, they won't stop trying until we're married and they may not even stop then. Your parents could stop them, but seeing as how your mother agrees with them…well, it seems it will be a long while before all such suggestions are stopped."

Emma groaned. "What in the world will make them stop? It's even more annoying than normal council meetings when they're plotting ways to undermine the two of us. I cannot wait until I'm Queen and able to boot them all out and form my own council."

"That will have many more consequences than you realize if you truly do just 'boot them out.'"

Emma sighed. "I know. But the past week has made me really wish that there weren't such consequences."

Regina hummed her agreement. "Yes, well, they are all rather old. You can replace them as they die off without as much backlash."

"Then let's hope they don't start dying off until after I'm crowned Queen or else we'll have a council of younger idiots to deal with."

Regina's face scrunched just slightly in disgust. "Your mother has interesting choice in advisors."

"That's the polite way to put it, yes."

Emma stopped outside the door to the council chambers. "Wanna guess how many new ideas they have today? Closest one to the right answer doesn't have to pay attention next time and only gets the highlights from the other."

"Emma." Regina leveled her with a look.

Emma slumped against the door. "I know, I need to pay attention so I'm informed while running my kingdom and am up to date on every member of the council's weakness that can be exploited later, but come on Regina. It would be one meeting."

"And if I let you bet now you'll keep making such stupid bets so you didn't have to pay attention."

Emma glared at her and went in. She was probably right, but that didn't mean she had to just bluntly say it. She could practically feel Regina's smug smile behind her. She had a feeling the rest of her life was going to be eerily like this. She had to marry the know it all. She just had to. Emma flopped down in her seat at the table and resigned herself to listen to yet another boring meeting.

* * *

Emma groaned and resisted the urge to get up and bang her head off the wall. She didn't know that royal weddings required so much freaking planning. How in the world did anyone think it was practical to invite the entire kingdom to a function they only had a month to plan. Though most of the activities for the peasants weren't their problem, there was still all of the nobility from their kingdom and some from the surrounding kingdoms that would be attending the wedding proper and the feast afterwards. And of course Regina and Emma had to make decisions about all of it. Which one of the palace place settings did they want, what kind of flowers, what sort of dresses did they want, what sort of food, anything and everything. Emma's head was spinning. Regina had answered each and every question easily and for that Emma was grateful. She had asked Emma's opinion before every choice, and she had contributed some things, but for the most part she had stared at the place settings so long that they had started to dance in front of her eyes.

Emma made her way quickly into the gardens, Regina at her heels. The other woman's presence comforted her some, but the as the fresh air hit her she really felt like she could breathe again. She slowed down her pace and Regina finally caught up with her, walking by her side quietly. Emma stepped closer so that their arms brushed with every step. Regina's hand found hers and she threaded her fingers through Emma's.

"Can you get one of your guard buddies to come over and check my garden?" Emma asked.

Regina nodded and gestured for one of the posted guards to follow them. They made their way towards the middle of the garden at an easy pace. The dying light of day lit their path. Emma smelled the first hints of night blooming jasmine on the wind. Her shoulders slumped just a little and her muscles started to loosen.

They reached the gate to her garden a few minutes later. She withdrew the key that always hung around her neck and unlocked the gate, letting the guard go through. Emma leaned on the ivy covered wall as she waited for the man to give the all clear. Regina was standing ready at the gate, posture stiff, on guard. She relaxed again when the palace guard came through and nodded.

Emma was through the gate in an instant. She took a shuddering breath as she heard the gate shut behind Regina. She sank down onto one of the many benches and drew her knees up to her chin. Screw propriety at the moment she needed just a minute to decompress. Regina emerged from the plants and sat down beside her. Emma slumped onto Regina and took another hiccupping breath.

"How in the world do people actually do this? You've taught me a lot, Regina, but I don't know about this. How do they really expect one person to do everything? It's insane!"

"They don't expect you to do everything, dear. At least not yet, you're only a princess as of now. It's all new to you, give it some time and you'll be used to the amount of work that is required of you. Until then you find ways to let off steam or delegate the least important tasks to idiotic members of the gentry that want to impress you in some way. I know you can do it, Emma, you're a smart girl." Regina turned to look at her, looking down at Emma resting on her shoulder. "Head strong and stubborn as well, but I think those things might serve you well being a ruler, especially being the ruler you'll have to be after your parents."

Emma laughed weakly at the minor barb in Regina's words. "Yeah ok."

"And besides, dear, I'm here to help. It is one of the reasons you agreed to marry me, isn't it? My experience in the politics of running a kingdom?"

She shrugged. "That was certainly in there, yes, but it wasn't the main reason."

Emma didn't miss the flash of a smile that crossed Regina's face at her words.

"Yes, well, regardless of the main reasons my experience is here for your use."

"I don't want to use you, Regina. Well, I mean I do, but I don't want to take advantage of you I guess? Or take you for granted? Or maybe it's both at once? I have no idea anymore. I just know I have nothing really to offer you in return. I'm a mess without any real skills except for horsemanship and I think you've got that more than covered."

"I think saving me from almost certain death was quite a big thing. Besides, it's not taking advantage of me if I'm offering my services. I'm quite aware of how to say no and put you in your place, or have you forgotten how this all began?"

Emma shook her head, shaking Regina with her just slightly. "No." She sighed heavily. "I guess you're right. It's just…overwhelming. I keep thinking if I had actually taken on the responsibilities when my parents wanted me to then maybe it wouldn't be so hard now."

"Perhaps not, but ruling is never easy, nor should it be. Absolute power over people has to come at some sort of cost to remind you just what is at stake for those under you."

Emma felt a warmth spark in the pit of her stomach. "That was one of the reasons I saved you too. You get it, how I want to rule. No one else seems to. They're concerned only about the upper class. That's still not the biggest reason, though." She felt her eyes drifting shut. She was so very tired.

"Yes, well, I find most people are out only for themselves."

Emma mumbled her agreement. She should get up. She was totally going to fall asleep right then and there on Regina's shoulder, but she couldn't force herself to stand. Dinner was soon and she was going to be late if she fell asleep. But she was comfortable here, leaning on Regina in the twilight. She felt Regina's arm wrap around her waist and pull her closer. Emma sighed one final time and fell asleep, more comfortable than she'd been in a while.

* * *

When Emma woke up there was barely any light in the sky. She yawned again and sat up. She couldn't have slept long, but she felt much better. Regina looked at her, a soft look on her face.

"Thanks," Emma said, stretching.

"It was nothing." Regina glanced away from her. "Even if you do snore."

Emma shot up from the bench. "I do not!"

"How would you know, you're asleep."

"No one else told me I snore."

"Do you really think someone would actually tell a princess that she snored?" Regina smirked at her.

Emma scowled. "Well, I just—hmph." She turned away and crossed her arms.

She heard Regina stand from the bench. "Don't get you undergarments in a twist, Emma. You wouldn't want to field the questions at dinner about why you're in a bad mood now would you?"

She deflated. "No."

"Thought so."

Regina walked towards the exit of the garden. "Besides, I think it's cute."

Emma looked after Regina's retreating back, dumbfounded. What in the world had the other woman just said?

"Regina wait up!" She ran after the other woman.


	2. Chapter 2

Forgive this if it isn't as checked over as normal. I just had surgery yesterday so I'm not quite sure how my proofreading skills are right now. I feel all here, but you never really know. But Jesus guys, almost 200 followers and over 20 reviews just on one chapter? Holy cow. Thank you guys so much, I'm glad you all liked it. And without further ado, here's the next installment, read, enjoy, review if you'd like.

* * *

Emma steeled herself and pushed open the door to the council chamber. It had taken a week, a very long week, for the council to finally realize that she was well and truly officially engaged to Regina and there was nothing that they could do about it. She felt the glare of her mother every time one of their ideas had petered off into nothingness. For a woman so hell bent on the power of true love she really wasn't embracing Emma's attempt to obtain something even vaguely like it.

Regina clanked behind her into the room. In her armor, Emma had to admit, Regina looked much more comfortable than she ever had in the clothing she had worn in the week interim between her being brought out of the dungeon and their announcement. Emma also had to admit that seeing her in her armor again had done something funny to her insides, but she wasn't quite sure what it was, and she had much too much to think about to figure it out.

Emma took her seat at the council table. She was a little early, there were still a few empty seats, including her parents. She took a deep breath. She really did hate being here longer than strictly necessary. She shot a glance back at Regina, standing at attention along the wall like the other guards in the room. Regina shrugged just slightly and flicked her eyes back at the table. Emma got the message loud and clear, it wouldn't be good for her to seem like she hated these meetings as much as she did. Emma held in a sigh and turned around in her chair, adjusting her posture so she looked every inch the princess she was.

Still, she relaxed just a little when her parents came in and began the council meeting. She was a few seconds closer to being free for the day. Well, freer, there was still so much to do it made her head spin still, but even a list of nearly endless tasks was better than council meetings.

"Now, since we've determined that the wedding must go on as scheduled, why do we not go over what must be done." The Queen folded her hands in front of her primly and looked out at the council expectantly.

Emma fought not to glare at her mother for the offhand comment. Since it was one of the tamer things she'd said in the last week she managed. Behind her, Emma didn't even feel Regina flinch in the slightest. She didn't quite understand, but it was like everything her mother ever said about Regina just slid off the knight like water. Emma wasn't sure how she managed not to throttle her, but she supposed that's probably what made Regina a much better politician than she was. Regina wouldn't let the ire from the comments anyone made come to bear until the right time. Maybe if she could learn how to do that then ruling wouldn't be so much of a struggle.

"Yes, yes, your majesty, the women who have been working with the princess and her fiancée to plan the wedding have been keeping us apprised of what's needed and of course we've given them leave to acquire whatever they may need. It seems that everything is running smoothly so far and that the wedding will happen on the appointed day without a hitch. Of course we will keep you up to date on the status of things should this change." One of the older council members bowed his head, his wispy white hair floating in the slight breeze created by the movement.

"Good, good, and what of the predicted cost?" Snow asked.

"I assume cost is not an issue, your majesty, after all this must be a show to the other kingdoms that the White Kingdom is as strong as ever, stronger even, since the princess is marrying the former princess of the Dark Kingdom. That name will bring quite a lot of power with it."

"Indeed it will." Her mother shot a look at her. "Also much enmity. The Dark Kingdom is no one's friend and are only dealt with because of the fear everyone has of them."

Another council member spoke up, younger, one of the few Emma could even vaguely stand. "A bit of fear at this point will do us good, majesty. The other kingdoms see us as soft, the fear will temper that impression."

The Queen nodded her acknowledgement. "True enough, Roderic."

The council fell slient before the wizened old man spoke again. "If we may, majesty, back to the cost? It is no object, is it not?"

"Of course, Lord William. The wedding is as you say, a statement that we are not weak; that will take as much money as it will take. I was only curious of the sum so that countermeasures to offset the cost can be taken."

"Ah yes, very smart of you, majesty." He shuffled around a few papers for a couple seconds before pulling a pair of spectacles onto his nose and squinting down at the papers. "So far with the wedding planning about half done the cost comes to twenty-five thousand gold pieces. I'd say at least that sum again will be added before everything is said and done. I'd say that will be tripled at most."

Emma's eyes widened tremendously. "Seventy-five thousand gold pieces?! That's the budget of the kingdom for a year twice over. There is no way that we can afford such an expense."

All eyes turned to her. Emma felt the urge to shrink back into her chair, but held her ground. The taxes that would need to be levied on the peasants to pay such a bill would be more than they could ever hope to pay. They would starve in great numbers and Emma just couldn't let that happen.

"Princess, as you've heard such a cost is necessary for the continued survival of our kingdom," Lord William explained to her as if she was a child.

"We won't _have_ a kingdom if that amount is spent. The taxes on the peasants will be astronomical just to make up the wedding cost, let alone to put any money back into the kingdom's coffers. They'll all starve come winter because they hadn't the money to buy enough food."

Earl Henrie, one of Emma's most detested council members spoke up. "If they starve then so be it. They'll starve if another kingdom attacks us anyway."

Emma bit the inside of her cheek hard enough to draw blood. She couldn't lose it just yet.

"The wedding can be impressive without so much money being spent on it. The palace staff are clever enough to make it work."

The Earl snorted. "Right princess, and my donkey can recite his ABC's. Palace servants or not, they are still peasants and peasants aren't clever enough to find their way out of a paper bag."

She swallowed hard. "Your favored son is a bastard child with a peasant. Being a bastard gives him no title, therefore he's a peasant just as the others you speak so detrimentally of, is he not clever? Is he not worth something more than a shrug and a so be it if he dies? God knows you'll pay whatever taxes are levied on his mother gladly, but what about the other women you've fathered illegitimate children with? God knows you must have lost count of them all, haven't you? It would be a shame if any of your line died, don't you think?" Emma's legs twitched, the urge to storm from the room overwhelming.

The Earl's face had turned beet red and his hands were clenched into fist. "How dare you, you little whelp of a bitch!"

Emma cocked her eyebrow and stared at him. "I could easily have you killed for speaking to me in such a manner."

"You provoked me!"

"As if it matters, my lord. In the hierarchy of the kingdom I am the princess and my word ranks far above yours. So sit and apologize to me before I have someone escort you to the dungeon."

The man sat, glaring daggers at her. "If the princess could forgive my harsh words, I would forever be grateful. My temper got away from me."

Emma nodded. "Apology accepted." She glanced around at the rest of the room. "Now, back to the matter at hand. Our kingdom will surely die if such a sum is spent on the wedding."

The Queen turned to Emma. "In the hierarchy of the kingdom, as I believe you said, my word is above yours. The council and I are in agreement, the wedding will cost as much as it must and you will hold your tongue about it. The peasants will be dealt with when the time comes." She looked out at the table. "Now, onto other business."

Emma felt the air behind her shift and suddenly Regina was standing at her side with her hand on Emma's shoulder. "If I may, your majesty, as you have not silenced me I'd like to make a point."

Snow White glared at Regina, hands gripping each other hard enough to turn her knuckles white. "Proceed, knight, but know that until you marry my daughter you aren't truly part of this council and can only speak with my blessing."

Regina nodded. "A fair provision, my queen." She squeezed Emma's shoulder before going on. "While Emma is certainly right to be concerned about the peasants and your council is also right about the wedding being a show of power, both groups overlook something quite important."

Regina's eyes swept over all of them. "You're worried about other kingdoms attacking, are you not?"

"Of course, you were present at the council meeting where Emma was told she had to marry to repel such attacks, the wedding is just another branch of that plan." Emma swore her mother was about to roll her eyes at the other woman, but settled for a haughty look instead.

"Yes, I was. And outside attacks must be treated with the utmost of care, but attacks from other kingdoms are not the only sort of attacks that can happen."

The king sat forward, finally intrigued by something. "What do you mean?"

Emma turned just slightly to look at Regina. She had no idea what the other woman was getting at either.

"As much as they're overlooked peasants can make or break a kingdom. The fact is there are many more of them than there are of nobility and royalty. Enough of them revolt and not even the superior forces that we control will be enough to subdue them. When provoked they are tenacious fighters who will not stop until they are dead or their cause has been realized."

The Queen brushed off the comments. "Every ruler knows such things. It's nothing that a few executions won't fix."

A smirk tugged at the corners of Regina's mouth. "In this case, your majesty I think that might only make things worse. The only reason the peasants haven't revolted on you is because you are a kind and just ruler, who given the right circumstances has quite the soft spot. The fact is your kingdom is on the verge of bankruptcy and has been for quite some time. To keep the kingdom afloat you tax the peasants more heavily than your predecessors ever did, but you still manage to strike a balance between what the kingdom needs to survive and what the peasants can spare without starving. Combined with your fair upholding of the law they're not in any hurry to get rid of you. You change anything in the status quo now and they may not be so friendly towards you anymore and the last thing this kingdom needs is to seem unstable from the inside, that will double the problem as other kingdoms will sense the weakness and attack with little thought."

Charming bit his lip in much the same way that Emma had a habit of doing. "So what you're saying is that we must find a balance here between the showiness of the wedding to ward off other kingdoms and the cost to keep the peasants happy."

Regina nodded. "That is exactly what I'm saying. A balance can be found, surely. The brightest minds in the kingdom are at your disposal, I'm sure they can run the numbers and figure out the exact cost that the kingdom could afford without reaching a breaking point."

The Queen stood and pushed back her chair, almost toppling it to the ground. "I thank you for your well thought out contributions, knight, but they are no longer needed. You may return to your post and leave the governing to those who are actually supposed to do it."

Charming laid a hand on his wife's waist. "Snow—"

She silenced with a look. He sat back and sighed. The women in his life were too stubborn for their own good.

Regina held Snow's gaze for a long moment before bowing. "As her majesty wishes. I hope she'll take my advice into her consideration." The woman retreated to the wall with one last squeeze of Emma's shoulder.

Snow pulled her chair to the table again and sat down. "Now, as I said earlier, onto other business."

Emma sat and stewed, not listening to anything else that was said. Her heart glowed at the fact that Regina had tried to support her, even if she hadn't gotten anywhere either. The knight's proposal was much more thought out for politics, but that didn't really matter to Emma. These were people they were talking about, women and children who were going to starve because of their selfishness. They didn't need a lavish wedding, or they didn't need it to be quite as lavish as it was turning out to be. They only needed it to appear as if it was the best of the best. She had seen the palace staff turn singed fabric into a fabulous dress with little effort. They had the resources to pull off something that would benefit everyone but of course her mother was standing in the way yet again.

She felt herself getting madder and madder. Her mother had been a thorn in her side for months now. Whatever had happened to the mother who had gone riding with her, laughing in the sun and teaching her how to shoot a toy bow and arrow, getting their dresses dirty and damning propriety? It was like her mother was a totally different person since she had hit marriageable age. She was always a disappointment, never knew what she was talking about. She was treated more as a child now than she ever was when she actually was a child.

Emma had to regulate her breathing, she was getting much too angry for a public setting. How in the world was she supposed to learn how to rule like this? She couldn't. If her ideas were not used then she couldn't learn to problems and snags that even a good idea of hers could have and how to fix them. She would be better off if her mother weren't there and she was left to rule on her own.

The council meeting ended around her. She stood up calmly and walked from the room. One pleading glance back at Regina had the other woman calling for a page. When the boy had set off running Emma pressed the small stone that opened the passage to her garden. Regina walked inside first and Emma followed closely. Anger still boiled under her skin, not dissipating even though she wasn't in the council chambers anymore. She needed to do something. She felt as if she was going to explode.

The emerged into the garden, Regina venturing off to check out the garden while Emma waited right outside the staircase that led back into the castle. When Regina returned nodding the all clear Emma breathed just a little easier, slamming the door on the staircase and striding into her garden. She went straight for the fountain. The sound of running water always calmed her and she was hoping that the sound calmed her now.

Regina sat down beside her as Emma trailed her fingers through the cool water. They sat silently for a long while before Regina spoke up.

"Perhaps your mother won't do anything, but there are steps that we can take to lessen the cost of the wedding while still keeping up appearances."

Emma turned to Regina. "How?" The anger swelled up in her again. How could her mother and the council not care about a great loss of human life? It was despicable.

"We're still given choice of what we want for the wedding. Every time Anita asks us to choose anything there is of course an option that is the cheapest. Everything will still pass royal muster but it will also be cheaper. It may not particularly be what we want to actually choose, but I do believe that is our only option at this point since your mother quite effectively shut us down."

Emma pursed her lips in thought. "How much do you think that will save?"

"Enough to where the wedding will surely not cost seventy-five thousand gold pieces, but I'm not sure of the exact sum."

"And you think it will work? That my mother won't catch on?"

"She's not intimately involved with planning the wedding. She has much more 'important' things to do. I'm sure it won't escape her notice on the day of, but by then it will be too late to do anything about it."

Emma offered Regina a small smile. "As long as it works then it sounds like a good plan."

Regina nodded. "Ok."

Emma went back to tracing her fingers through the water, anger fading slightly. They had a very mediocre fix for a problem that shouldn't have happened in the first place. She huffed and sent a few drops of water flying across the fountain's basin. Damn what Regina had told her, if these men were going to be like this then she would get rid of them and let the backlash fall as it may.

"I just wish we knew this was going to be a problem when we started planning a week ago. We could have saved some gold them too." Emma slumped lower.

"Our choices have almost erred to the lower end of the cost spectrum. It seems that both of us rather prefer simple to showy." Regina reached out and tucked a piece of hair behind Emma's ear.

"Still. This is all just such a…such a clusterfuck."

"I didn't even know princesses knew such language." The laugh in Regina's voice was evident.

Emma rolled her eyes. "Of course we do. Palace servants let more than a few curses slip when they think no one is watching."

Regina hummed her agreement.

Emma stood and started to pace the garden, gripping onto the chain that held the key to the garden. "I'm beginning to think that ruling the kingdom would be ten times easier without my mother standing in the way of every single decision I made regarding the wellbeing of the kingdom."

"Yes, well, someone will always be against you, Emma. This is just good practice in the long run."

"But my own mother?" Emma threw up her hands.

Regina regarded her silently for a long moment. "My mother was my greatest enemy."

Emma froze. God she was really good at sticking her foot in her mouth sometimes. She had totally forgotten for just moment just how Regina had learned how to be such a good politician.

"Yeah, right sorry." She turned away from Regina.

"It's ok, princess."

And Emma knew for certain that if she was back to being called princess things were not okay at all. She really was quite dense.

"It's not. No one's greatest enemy should be someone who should love them the most."

She heard Regina sigh behind her quietly. "But sometimes that is the way of things. Perhaps it hurts more because of who they are to you, but no doubt that it happens. Shared blood by no means equals decency."

"No, I suppose not." Emma picked a flower, a random weed that had managed to bloom within the perfectness of her garden. She picked the petals off one by one and let them drift to the ground. "It's just that it hurts more because up until I was sixteen she was the mother everyone wishes for and then suddenly I was of age and our relationship shifted. I was the perfect little princess and then I just wasn't. And at first it was really subtle, I thought I was imagining it, she still hugged me and loved me and let me do whatever I pleased, but there was always just this…look in her eyes. It took me a while to figure out just what it meant, that she was disappointed in me. I've never been enough for her since that day. I don't understand why. I've become everything she ever wanted me to be, a princess who is learning to rule, who has a good grip on court decorum, with a pending wedding. I don't get what she wants me to do. I don't get why she's fighting me."

Emma dropped the flower and wrapped her arms around herself.

"You're very different from your mother."

"Of course." She shot a look at Regina that clearly said 'duh.'

"But that's just it, Emma. That's why she has a problem with what you've become."

"What are you saying? That she wanted me to become some sort of clone of her?"

Regina stood and walked over to Emma. "That would be the gist of it, yes."

Emma scowled at the other woman for a long second. What the other woman was saying couldn't be true. Why would her mother want a perfect clone of her? What purpose would that serve? It wasn't like her mother had just hit sixteen and magically turned into a lady with a husband. Hell, she had met her father on one of her escapes from the palace. Before they had married he had been a shepherd.

But the more the idea turned over and over in her head, the more it made sense. Her mother could be very selfish at times. What better to feed that than someone who acted just like you and had no will of their own but acted as their puppet? The thought made Emma sick.

"How do I even deal with that, Regina?" She felt on the verge of tears. How could she be enough for anyone else if she wasn't enough for her mother?

Regina stepped forward and drew Emma into her arms. "Your mother still loves you. It may not be obvious at the moment but she does, I can see it in her eyes. She's in there somewhere, the woman who raised you. Perhaps you just have to point out what she's become in order to get her back."

Emma curled herself into Regina. "That sounds like a terrible idea."

Regina nodded into her shoulder. "Yes, but sometimes terrible ideas are all we have."


	3. Chapter 3

Short chapter, I do usually try to keep them somewhere around 4-5k, but with how I write, all one big ginormous mashup and then go back and break up the chapters later things don't always follow my whims. With that little tid bit, here's the chapter I hope you guys enjoy.

* * *

Emma gasped out a breath as the corset drew ever tighter around her.

"Ah, there we go Princess, that will do nicely now that you've stopped sticking out your stomach." The old woman patted her on the shoulder. "I know they aren't the most comfortable of things, but this will be worth it."

Emma pulled in a shallow breath. "That sticking out my stomach was the room I actually needed to breathe. At this rate I'm not going to make it down the aisle." She was feeling slightly light headed already.

"Now, now Princess, I know you're perfectly capable of breathing in corsets. Think of the balls you've been to, you had a corset on then and you danced the night away."

Yeah, she'd danced all right. And almost passed out more than once. And those corsets had been looser than the one she had on now. Why the hell fashion dictated that corsets were the thing to wear was beyond her. Give her riding pants and a loose shirt and she was more than fine. Even a nice comfortable loose dress would be good as well, not this whale bone monstrosity squeezing ever single drop of air from her.

"Those weren't quite as tight."

The woman stuck her with a pin and Emma jumped. She glared down at the woman. The old bird got a little cheeky at times, but she was so good at her job no one really took much stock in it.

"Not as much was at stake on your appearance, your highness."

Emma sighed as much as she could. She looked at herself in the mirror. The dress was by all accounts simple for a royal wedding dress, there were no precious stones woven through the fabric, but there was a layer of gossamer thin lace covering the whole thing and forming sleeves to cover her bare arms and shoulders. It flowed to the floor gracefully. Emma had been strictly against a poofy dress. She hated them even in normal dress, be damned if she was going to get married in one. She definitely had to admit, as clingy as the dress was, having the corset extra tight made her look good. In her mind her hair fixed itself into the complicated up do that she would wear in two weeks and her makeup applied itself, the make believe image of her on her wedding day looked so foreign to her, but stunning. Women across the kingdom were going to be cursing her when even tighter corsets came into fashion because of her wedding gown.

"Fair enough. You've done stunning work as usual, Margret."

The woman smiled up at her. "Thank you, Princess."

The doors behind them opened. Emma twisted to see who had entered her chambers without knocking and stifled a grimace. Her mother stood just inside the doorway taking in the silhouette of her, frowning.

Margret bowed. "Majesty." She set back to pinning the dress to the proper proportions.

"Mother, I thought you were tied up in meetings all day?" Emma turned back to the mirror, watching her mother carefully in the glass.

"Someone cancelled at the last second and I couldn't resist the opportunity to see my daughter's wedding dress." Her mother walked closer to her. "It wasn't quite what I imagined."

"I quite like it."

"It's too simple, where is the show, where are the jewels?" The Queen turned to Margret about ready to berate her.

"I didn't want them, mother. I thought they would make the dress clunkier than it needed to be. The lace from Argrabah will be quite enough to send the message that the kingdom is quite well off, I saw no need to overshadow it. It's so pretty."

Her mother's frown got deeper. "And why did you instruct for something so slinky, then? This is a wedding, you are supposed to look like a pure bride, not a common street whore in a dress that shows everything. You're corset is much too tight. You'll give everyone the wrong idea."

"It's fine, mother. It gives me a figure that every single other princess in the surrounding kingdoms will desire. I'll look quite beautiful. Everyone will be jealous that the White kingdom has such a lovely Princess. Perhaps a few will become closer to us just to get to me and then we can turn that in our favor."

"That is not how we want to gain allies."

Emma turned sharply to her mother. "We cannot be picky about how we gain allies. We are on the verge of bankruptcy with hounds at our doorstep. If a kingdom has a lustful king that only wants to ally with us for my beauty then we will take it."

"We aren't a dog begging for scraps."

Emma glared at her mother. "What are we then? Because, mother, I can't see us in a much higher positon. You've almost run us into the ground. I'm trying to fix it but you shoot down every single idea that I ever have and don't you dare tell me it's because they aren't good ideas. They are good, well thought out ideas that take into account the state of the kingdom and those beyond."

"How would you know what a good idea is, you've only wanted to be princess for the last few weeks, no longer."

"Because Regina has been teaching me! You know her story. She had to be good at all of this," Emma waved around the room. "just to survive. She was never the spoiled princess, unlike you."

Snow took a step forward, looking up at her daughter with fury in her eyes. "And what exactly were you then?"

"Oh, I was spoiled, surely. You allowed me to do whatever I wanted, gave me every single thing I asked for, educated me with the best tutors. And perhaps I would've turned out as no more than a brat of a princess if not for the fact that you taught me compassion, that the peasants must be looked after politically because they cannot look after themselves, that all humans must be treated well in order for our kingdom to survive. I took that lesson to heart, mother. And now that I want to put it to use I might as well be shouting at a wall for all the use it's doing. Why don't you practice what you preach for once?"

Snow reached up and slapped her daughter. She jerked back looking at her down hand in horror. She pulled in a shaky breath and stepped back.

"This is all her fault. She's turning you into a monster."

"She's turning me into a Queen." Emma refused to rub and her stinging cheek as she stared her mother down. "You just want me to forever be a princess and have every single decision dictated by you. Those days are gone mother and I thank the gods for that."

She turned back to the mirror and refused to look in her mother's direction. She heard her mother let herself out of the room with a slam of the door. Emma slumped just a little after the door shut.

"My, my, princess, I think you oughtn't to have done that." Margret went back to pinning her dress, having been perfectly still the entire time of the shouting match Emma had just had with her mother.

"Yes, well, there are quite a few things I oughtn't do, but that hasn't stopped me before so why should it stop me now." Emma looked down at the woman. "And don't you dare follow any of my mother's 'suggestions' the dress is perfect as it is. This is my wedding, not hers and she needs to realize that."

"As you wish, Highness."

Emma closed her eyes and tried to fight the blackness at the edge of her vision. "Thank you, Margret."

"She'll realize you're your own woman soon enough."

Emma laughed humorlessly. "I'm not sure I'll live to see that day."

"Yes well, one can always hope."

"There are many things that I hope for before that, many more important things."

"Your mother is always important."

"Doesn't feel like it."

Margret stuck in the last pin. She helped Emma out of the dress again before speaking again. "She's made you who you are, highness, that has to count for something."

Emma sighed, finally able to breathe fully. "It does, but I'm just not sure how much. As it stands she may die before we reconcile."

"Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that."

Emma nodded. "Yes, I hope. I miss her, the old her."

Margret patted her on the shoulder again. "Somewhere in her mind I'm sure she misses the old relationship with you as well." She gathered her things up in her arms. "With your leave, highness."

Emma nodded again. Margret bowed before letting herself out of Emma's chambers. Emma stared at the closed door for a long time afterwards before going on with her day.

* * *

"It's getting worse, Regina." She had pulled Regina into her room as soon as her replacement had arrived.

Regina sighed and slipped behind the changing screen. "Well, from the sounds of it, you didn't exactly do anything that would've made it better, only escalated it."

Emma huffed. This was not the reaction she had predicted when she thought about telling Regina about what a complete ass her mother had been. "What would you have me do? Take her idiotic words? No, I don't think so."

"No, but if your mother wants to play politics with you then I suggest you play politics with her."

Emma sighed. "She's still my mother, I don't quite want to go for her jugular like almost every single member of the council."

"At this rate you may not have a choice." Regina stepped out from behind the screen in her dress uniform, something fitting the dinner they were about to attend.

"I did exactly what you said, I pointed out what she had become to me and she just shoved it back in my face, quite literally." Emma traced the faint handprint on her cheek.

"I'm not sure she saw it as such, darling."

"What do you mean, I explicitly said she was expecting me to be a princess she could control."

"Yes, but that's only part of it and most assuredly not the part that will get her to realize just how…overbearing she has become."

Emma wanted to just curl up in her bed. Instead she walked over to Regina and straightened out a few of the pins on Regina's uniform. Regina's arms came to rest on her waist.

"What will work then?"

"You have to tell her how you feel about all this. I think that will be the best way. She is a truly good person for the vast majority of the time except for when she is angry. It may be hard but you can't anger her while you're telling her. The fastest way to anger another person is to attack them. Saying that she wants you to be a controllable princess will be seen as attack until you couch it in the language of feelings. Even then, this could still entirely fall through. And then the only way to deal with her will be to handle her as you do all the members of the council."

Emma rested her head on Regina's shoulder, careful not to snag her hair on the many accessories. She felt safe like this, in Regina's arms. "Do you think my father could talk some sense into her if I explained everything to him?"

Regina was silent for a long minute, the only sound Emma heard was the breath rushing in and out of the woman and her loud steady heartbeat.

"With your mother? I'm going to guess no, but I'm not quite sure. The King is truly her other half. It's feasible that he could make her clearly see the situation in front of her, but then again she's quite stubborn. It might just lead to a rift between them and intensify her dislike of me. They are your parents. I think on this, the decision should be up to you as you've known them for much longer than I."

"I'm not sure I know them at all." Emma stepped back out of Regina's embrace, straightening her hair.

"I think you do, Emma, conflict just clouds everything."

She snorted. "You can say that again." Her fists clenched. "I just don't get why she's targeting you now. Our fight is between us, and while it's about you it's still a mother daughter thing."

"I'm an easy target. They took me in on their good graces and soft hearts. Were it not for you I'd have no leg to stand on in this kingdom anymore."

"At this point I think she'd rather see me marry the stable boy than you. It's insane. You're the one who can help me run the kingdom. None of those other men could, not in the way it deserved to be run. You're even a princess, an exiled one, but still. You rank higher than all of my other suitors and you're a better leader and fighter than all of them to boot. She barely even knows you and she's passing judgment on you." Her chest heaved and her face was red.

Regina reached over and put a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, darling. Your mother does not have to like me. After what I did in my home kingdom I'm surprised that anyone tolerates my presence at all."

She took a few deep breaths until she felt like she could function normally again. "I want her to like you, though," she finally said in a small voice. She looked away from Regina, down at her feet.

Regina lifted her chin so she came face to face with her. "Emma, not everyone will like me and it isn't your mission to make sure they do. I don't care who likes me or who doesn't. It was a hard lesson to learn and I'm not going back on that lesson now. All that matters to me is that you like me."

"I do."

"Good, then leave the subject of me alone with your mother for now. You have bigger things to tend to with her right now. Something tells me that if you straighten everything else out with her everything regarding me might just fall into place as well."

"Ok." She lifted her chin off of Regina's fingers and turned away again. "I just—" She shook her head.

"I know."

Emma walked to the mirror and fixed her appearance again. She hadn't cared this much about how she looked in a long time, but something was driving her to now. She would show her mother. She would.

Regina came up behind her and stared over her shoulder into the mirror. "Come on, we'll be late for dinner if you keep fussing. You look beautiful."

"You're honor bound to say that, you're my fiancée."

Regina laughed. "I'm not honor bound to anything other than to protect this kingdom. If you haven't noticed I tend to be rather blunt about everything else."

Emma turned to face her. "You don't say?" She cocked an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips.

"I do say." She pulled Emma's hands off her hips and tugged her forward. "Now come on, dinner won't wait for us."

Emma smiled slightly and allowed herself to be led from the room.


	4. Chapter 4

First off, to address that one guest reviewer...this story isn't in the Snowing tag. I made sure to not put them as a pairing on the story because a. this story doesn't really focus on their relationship and b. because I was well aware that Snow isn't pictured favorably at points and I'm well aware if you're searching the pairing tag on here you probably like the character. That being said I still added Snow and Charming's name to the list of characters because they are major characters that have a great impact on the story and therefore should be listed. So sorry, but I don't recant my labeling.

Mini-bitch session over, sorry. To the rest of you, thanks to everyone who's leaving such positive feedback on this story in the form of reviews, follows, favorites, what have you, it really makes my day. So here's this week's update and I hope you all enjoy.

* * *

Emma glared at the group of maids that had fallen silent as she swept past, on her way from a council meeting to yet another meeting about the wedding. She didn't really know what could be changed only a week from the event, but the palace matron demanded a meeting every day anyway. That wasn't her real annoyance now. The servants around the palace had all been falling strangely silent as she walked past. It unnerved her. Servants were never truly silent. They whispered even as royalty went by them, bowing and curtsying quickly as they kept gossiping. They only fell silent if you were the topic of gossip. Emma did _not_ have time to be the topic of gossip. Or at least she didn't have the time to pay attention to it, but there was something nagging at her.

She shook her head and pushed the feeling aside. It could be dealt with after the wedding. She didn't have the time to pull aside a group of maids and badger them until they finally blurted out the latest gossip until then.

But every single servant she passed, from the smallest page boy to highest ranking maid fell silent as she passed and sent her the strangest glances. Whatever gossip was floating around the palace was big. She slowed her steps. If it was big enough to have the entire palace chattering on then perhaps it might be worth the time to pull aside some maids. She sighed, she really wished Regina was with her instead of getting her dress fitted. The other woman would know what to do in this situation.

Emma was about to turn the corner when she froze, hearing her title in a hushed voice just loud enough for her to hear.

"—Princess might be under the knight's spell!" an enthusiastic voice whispered.

"No, that's ridiculous, wouldn't she act odd if she was?" Another, older voice asked.

"Dunno, but the Queen has started an investigation into the knight. The Queen thinks she might have put the Princess under a spell, so there might be some truth to it."

"Psh, that means nothing. Investigations have been started before with absolutely no proof."

"But by the Queen?"

The older voice hummed. "You have a point, but you've seen the knight around the palace. Does she seem the spell casting type to you?"

"Well, no, but you never know. I hear that witches can be sneaky."

"You probably think they're green too."

"I do not!"

"Child, your generation hasn't seen a real witch. No one has since King Leopold outlawed magic years ago."

"Still. What if the Princess is under a spell?"

"Then I suppose the Queen will take care of it."

Emma couldn't take it anymore. A spell? Placed on her? And an investigation. She needed more information. And once she had more information she was going to go straight to her mother. This was too far if it was true. It was one thing to not like her fiancée, it was quite another to launch an investigation into her.

She stepped around the corner and cleared her throat. "Ladies."

The women jumped out of their skin and hurried to curtsy. "Princess, I beg your pardon," the older woman said. She was wearing an apron covered in flour, a cook then.

Emma looked at the younger woman, in the outfit all the chamber maids wore. "What do you know about the investigation that my mother has launched?"

The girl looked at the floor. "Not much, your highness, only what my friend, Mattie, told me. She said that your mother was looking into a spell being placed on you so you would marry the knight, Regina. It's all anyone has been talking about today."

She turned back to the cook. "And is this the first you've heard about it today?"

The woman shook her head. "Some of the girls in the kitchen were going on about it, but they weren't saying any more than Rissa here."

Emma sighed. "Does anyone actually believe that I've been put under a spell? That Regina would actually put a spell on me?"

"Well, Princess, if you don't mind me saying so there are more than a few who are wondering if that's the case. You act very differently from when you met her only a few months ago. Personally, I just think you're growing up, but there are those in the palace without any experience raising children."

"I appreciate your honesty." She nodded. "But I'm not under a spell. If I was then I think perhaps this would all come much easier to me."

The older woman nodded kindly.

"But wouldn't you say you weren't under a spell if you were under a spell?" The maid asked.

The older woman glared. "Hush child, that sentence doesn't even make sense. By that logic she's under a spell no matter what."

"But—"

"No buts."

Emma smiled at the two women. "If someone was going to take the effort to put a spell on me they might want a little more bang for their gold piece than they're getting right now. Besides, Regina isn't the type of person to spell someone into marrying her."

"No, I would rather think not," the cook said, more knowledge than she was letting on sparkling in her eyes.

Emma nodded. "If you'll excuse me, I do believe I have some business to attend to with my mother. Thank you both."

"You're quite welcome, your highness." They both curtsied.

Emma inclined her head before turning around and stalking towards her mother's office. With court over for the day and the council meeting done that was where she would be, tying up loose ends and making sure the kingdom had what it needed to run smoothly. Emma wished that for one single day she and her mother could go without some sort of snippy word exchange and one week without a knockdown, drag out fight, but this was not going to be that week. Emma knew that as soon as she walked into her mother's office and said anything at all about the rumors yet another shouting match would begin. She wasn't really quite sure that she felt bad about that this time. Her mother needed to lay off in the worst way.

Emma knocked on the indistinct wooden door of her mother's office. She never had wanted to draw too much attention to her workspace. Her mother's voice called for her to enter. Emma put her hand on the door knob and took a deep breath before pushing it open.

"Mother," she said, shutting the door behind her.

The Queen looked up from her desk, eyes narrowed. "Emma, to what do I owe this pleasure?"

Emma walked over and perched primly in one of the chairs in front of her mother's desk even though her mother did not ask her to sit. She kept her posture extremely rigid as she looked over the woman in front of her.

"Quite a few rumors have been spreading around the palace today."

Snow White scoffed. "As if there aren't five different rumors flying around by lunch. You know how the servants are, they live off of gossip."

Emma hummed noncommittally. "Be that as it may, the normal five rumors as you say are one single rumor. It's led them to all fall silent just as soon as they see me. Surely you can understand how unnerving that is, mother."

"Of course. If need be I could do something about this." Snow leaned forward, a look of almost real concern on her face.

"There's no need. It's only unnerving when you don't know what they're saying. Handy thing about being royalty is that servants can't really say no to you. I asked a few and they told me just exactly what was going about the palace. Do you know what today's rumor is, mother?"

Snow looked back down at her paper. "I don't have time to deal with the frivolities of the servants. If you're such a good princess now you should know that you don't have time for such things."

"I'm well aware." Her hands gripped onto the chair's arms hard enough to make the wood under her fingers squeak. "But servants can be quite the wealth of information when asked. They see and hear everything within the palace."

"Surely you don't believe them? They wouldn't know anything if knowledge kicked them in the face."

"I'm not so sure about that. I have more than enough evidence that the servants are right in this regard to at least follow up on the rumor."

Her mother shot her a skeptical look. "And why have you come to me with this inquiry? Surely you know I have no time for your silly little games."

"No, mother, it's I who don't have time for _your_ silly little games." Emma glared at her mother. "You see, the rumor around the palace today is that you're staging an investigation into Regina to see whether she's cast a spell over me."

Her mother's posture stiffened just slightly. It was enough to give her away to Emma. The servants were right after all. Anger bubbled inside of her, hot and acidic.

"And where could a servant have possibly heard this?" Her mother scribbled her signature on a document Emma was quite sure she hadn't actually read. She found herself vehemently hoping that it would be something that came to bite her in the ass later.

"It's as I said, mother, servants are everywhere and hear everything."

"Surely they were mistaken." She straightened her paperwork and looked up at Emma again, green eyes so like her own boring into her, hoping to make her flinch.

"You see, I don't think they are. With how you've been acting towards Regina lately this is not that far of a leap, now is it? Especially with what you said not even a week ago about her turning me into a monster. You know she has magic, of course you would come to the stupid conclusion that she was corrupting me with it or else taking over my mind so I had no idea of what I was doing."

"I'm your mother, I can't be too careful. I have to protect you and the future of this kingdom."

"I am twenty years old. I can protect myself."

"You're young and naïve, no you can't."

Emma stood and slammed her hands down on her mother's desk. "Naïve? My own mother tried to marry me off to the first good looking noble in order to stabilize the kingdom. Naïve went out the window the second I had to keep beating off men that only wanted two things from me, my kingdom and my virginity."

"Emma!"

Her eyes found her mother's again, gaze hot and furious. "Like you don't know it's true. Gods know if you hadn't found father when you did you would have been subjected to the same exact thing. I'm not that little sixteen year old anymore who only wants her mother's approval but doesn't have it. I've learned to stand on my own."

"If I left you to truly stand on your own you would fall within the day."

"You have no idea what I'm capable of."

"I think I'm well aware." Her mother rose of her chair and came face to face with Emma. "And I'm also well aware that that woman has some sort of influence over you and I will find out exactly what it is."

"You want to know what it is, mother? I'll tell you exactly what it is. She is the first person in this entire kingdom to actually teach me how to rule. She is the first person to take me aside and truly explain to me exactly what my foolish actions could cost the kingdom. She is the first person to truly agree with me on how this kingdom needs to be run. She's the first person to truly see me as how I really am. The first to fall in love with me. The first that I have any possibility of falling in love with myself. The only one who complements me in ways I never thought possible. The only one in so many years to be on my side for once. You may not see it, mother, but I do. What you deem as a spell or some sort of unnatural influence is a real and true friendship and the more you push the faster it's turning into something more. It has not been forced. Our relationship just is genuine, unlike anything you tried to force on me four months ago."

"You fail to listen, Emma. I shouldn't be surprised since you're under her spell, but she's bad for the kingdom and you fail to see it."

"Name me one way she's bad from the kingdom. Just one. Because what I see is that she's beloved by the peasants, has all the knowledge of politics already, and is beautiful enough that people will underestimate her. These all sounds like qualities that are good for the kingdom."

"She has magic."

"Which she rarely uses because she's so damn afraid of it."

"That doesn't matter. My father banned it for a reason."

Emma fought the urge to reach out and grab the front of her mother's frilly dress. "Because he was about to be overthrown by a coven of witches!"

"And that isn't bad for the kingdom?"

"It wouldn't have been because your father was a horrible king to the peasants!" Emma's chest heaved. "This family is built on a throne of lies and the only thing in this gods damn palace that is real you are trying to rip apart just to keep up appearances. I may be somewhere in-between a friend and lover with Regina, but at least our relationship is the gods damned truth!"

Her mother pulled back. "Well, it isn't true love, so how real can it really be?"

Emma went completely still and just stared at her mother for a long second. Her burning anger changed into icy fury. The room seemed to drop twenty degrees around her. She felt completely unhinged yet completely rational at the same time.

"If true love makes you act like an utter fool who thinks they're some sort of omnipotent god, then I don't want it. You've proved to me that there are many, many better things." Emma turned to leave. "Funny how you didn't care about true love when you were pairing me up with the nobles. We're done, Snow White, I may be the princess of this kingdom but I am no longer your daughter." She swept from the room, her mother's office, the room returning to a normal temperature after she left.

* * *

Regina found her later, curled up on the battlements of the outer walls surrounding the palace. She shot a glare at the two guards who had accompanied her, obviously disapproving of the fact they'd let her get so far outside the protection of the palace walls in such a state. Emma, however, saw none of her anger. A hand appeared on her back and a calm voice spoke to her, warm flowing honeyed milk ensconcing her as Regina kept speaking. She didn't hear any of the words, but her thoughts calmed just a bit in the wake of the comfort Regina was offering her. She knew she shouldn't be out here like this. She was showing her vulnerability in the worst way possible. Regina should be angry at her, but instead she was trying to coax her down from her position on the wall.

"Come, princess, you'll catch cold. It won't do to have you sick during our wedding. Though, I wouldn't be opposed to you sneezing on some of the council members, it wouldn't do for the show of power the kingdom needs."

The practical words finally broke through to her after minutes of soft expressions of care and understanding. Emma swung her legs around and hopped off the wall. The dress she was in was surely ruined, but it wasn't like she didn't have a closet full to replace it. Maybe she should reduce the clothing allowance of the royalty when she was Queen. Gods knew that that would save them quite a bit of money. New outfits were only really needed when meeting foreign dignitaries, it didn't really matter if servants saw them in something less than extravagant. Yes, that was a good idea.

She allowed Regina to lead her back to her rooms. The cold fury she had felt earlier had left her numb to everything outside of her own mind, but she did still manage to feel Regina's warm hand on her back. She kept her head high and her face blank and walked as Regina had taught her, even while being led. It wouldn't do to forget every lesson the other woman had taught her all in one day.

The doors to her chamber were opened and she walked through, Regina still at her side. She went immediately to her own room and pulled off the ruined dress, slipping into her favored pair of riding breeches and loose shirt. She heard Regina calling for one of her ladies maids and requesting dinner to be sent up to them. A relieved breath left her. She didn't want to face her mother. She didn't want to face what she had done. She was such an idiot. Regina was right all those months ago.

She came back into her sitting room and folded herself into her favorite chair, staring at the fireplace and the small fire built there to ward off the coming chill. Fall would truly be upon them soon. Regina came back from dealing with the servants and sat down in the chair nearest to Emma.

The blonde turned to her fiancée. "How was your dress fitting? Was what Margret made you satisfactory?"

"More than satisfactory, darling. That woman has quite the way with fabric. I'm sure even the council will not have any objections about it not being showy enough." Regina looked at her all the while, eyes trying to probe deeper, to see what was truly wrong.

"Good, good, she's very good at what she does, even if my mother does not think so."

Regina's brow scrunched. "The woman sings Margret's praises, you and I both know she was more after your tastes than Margret's craftsmanship."

Emma sunk further into her chair. "True enough." She fell silent, watching the fire flicker. She felt Regina's curiosity, but the other woman didn't push.

She sat for long enough that their dinner was brought to them. The kitchen girl set everything in front of them on the coffee table, curtsied and left. Emma ate silently, not able to stomach much more than a few bites. Her brain kept screaming that she was an idiot and she was not inclined to disagree. She shoved her plate away with less than half of it eaten.

Regina sighed at her lack of appetite, but picked up a mug of hot chocolate and placed it in Emma's hands. She smiled weakly up at the other woman. So Regina had remembered what her favorite beverage when she was young even though she told her that ages ago. It warmed the numbness slightly. She took a sip of the hot liquid and was warmed further.

She spoke when the mug was half empty. "She's launching an investigation into you."

Regina didn't have to ask who 'she' was, she was already well aware. "I know."

Emma turned to Regina. "You know?" Her brow scrunched. "How are you not storming into her office and demanding an explanation. You told her of your magic in confidence and now she's using it against you."

"Nothing is truly ever told in confidence to a ruler, especially when you break their trust by marrying their daughter. Besides coming after her like that would look terrible on my part, it would incline more people to believe the outrageous stories that she's spreading."

Emma sat silently for another long moment. "You're right."

"I take it that you did go confront your mother."

Emma nodded. "I did."

"And it didn't end well."

"Does it ever with my mother anymore?" She sighed and set the empty mug on the tray in front of her.

"No, but I always cross my fingers that it does. I don't like to see you so distraught."

"And I don't like to see you accused of mind control and gods know what else." Her fists clench. Regina reached out and unclenched one of her hands slowly, pulling her fingers from her palms gently, but with enough force. She ran her tanned fingers over the crescents that Emma's nails had left in her palm softly. Emma sighed and laced her fingers through the other woman's.

"It went even worse than normal," she said after the warmth from Regina's hand in her own had allowed her to truly feel in what felt like hours.

"How so?"

"I told my mother that I'm not her daughter anymore." The words froze her again. Saying them out loud made everything seem real. She had almost convinced herself that she wouldn't be so stupid, that yelling at her mother like that was some sort of dream.

Regina reached up and turned Emma's face so she was looking at the other woman. "Emma, I need you to tell me exactly what you said to her." Her eyes were hard and serious, no longer tender anymore except for a tiny little spark almost quenched by everything else swirling in her brown eyes.

"I told her that I may be princess of the kingdom but I was no longer her daughter."

Regina relaxed just slightly. "You expressly said that?"

"Yes, Regina, I just said that." Emma scowled.

"Then you didn't give up your claim to the throne."

"No, of course not."

"Good, ok, you haven't done anything overly stupid."

Emma felt anger flare up again, melting away the last of the numb feeling. She was so very tired of being the stupid one, the one who knew nothing. For once, just for once she didn't want to be called out on her actions. She wanted more than anything for whatever she did to be right.

But as fast as her anger had come on it faded again. That wouldn't happen anytime soon. She was a fast learner, but this was bigger than anything she'd ever done before. And everyone except Regina was fighting her every step of the way. Her mother. Something within her cracked. A sob ripped itself from her throat. And another, and another until her form was shaking like a leaf and tears were streaming down her cheeks. What in the world had she done?

She felt Regina hesitating for just a second before she drew Emma into a hug that crushed the air out of her lungs. Emma's arms came up around Regina's back, curling into the fabric of her off duty clothes so hard she heard the seams groan under the pressure. Regina started to card her hands through Emma's curls gently, untangling the hair under her fingers deftly and painlessly. She sobbed and sobbed into the crook of Regina's neck until the skin under her was soaked and the neck of Regina's shirt was damp and sticking to tan skin. Regina made no attempt to calm her besides the hand running through her hair, letting her cry as much as she needed without false promises and platitudes ringing in her ear. Emma was more grateful than words could describe just for that.

With one final sniff she stopped crying, but made no move to extricate herself from Regina's arms. She didn't want to move for the rest of eternity. If only it was an option for her to stay within the safety of Regina's grasp and not face the consequences of her actions. Regina, for her part, kept running her hand through Emma's hair, breathing deep and even under Emma's head.

"It's just—" Emma drew in a shuddering breath. "I got so angry. Any advice you gave me about how to handle her just slipped out of my head. I was angry enough that she was launching an investigation into you, but then at the end when I had her backed into a corner argument wise she just, she pulled out the true love card and tried to invalidate everything we have together and I just lost it. I know we're not truly there yet, or at least I'm not, but you're one of the most, probably _the_ most important person in my life right now and I just couldn't take her trying to diminish what we were and I'm just so tired of everything she's been doing recently that that's just what happened and oh gods I'm so stupid."

Regina's hand stilled in her hair. "I've said it before and I will say it again, your mother is a fool. True love might be a magical phenomenon, but that doesn't mean that every other type of love is somehow lesser because it cannot break curses. Whatever is between us, whether it evolves into romantic love or stays as the type of love shared between close friends, all that matters is that it is between us, that it is ours. Nothing else matters as long as we are happy with what we have."

The words soothed Emma greatly. Her eyes blinked closed, soothing the dry scratchiness that crying had left behind. "You really think so?" she asked, voice still rather thick.

"I know, darling."

"Ok." She snuggled into Regina's embrace just a little more. She was just so tired and Regina was so warm and comforting.

"The days ahead might be difficult, but I have a great amount of confidence that you and I will overcome anything put in our path."

"I hope so." Emma sighed. She felt herself drifting off to sleep. She really should get up and bid Regina goodnight, but she made no move.

Just as she was about to drift off for good she heard Regina mumble into her hair. "I don't think you've ever truly heard me say this, you knew even with my saying it, but I love you Emma. I seem to fall just a little more in love every day watching your hardheaded self fight against the council for what's right and with every brush of your hand against mine. Perhaps I'll find the courage to tell you this when you're awake sometime soon, but I do not want to pressure you, darling."

Warmth suffused Emma's being. She wanted to wake up and hug Regina just a little harder, but she was too far gone. She felt herself being lifted off the couch they had ended up on and carried easily into her room. Regina laid her on her bed and Emma curled up immediately. Her skin tingled for just a moment and suddenly she wasn't being constricted by a corset anymore, but in one of her nightgowns. The covers were gently pulled out from under her and then pulled up to her chin. Regina left her with a gentle kiss to her forehead and a quiet goodnight. Emma sighed happily and finally let sleep take her to sweet dreams where Regina always seemed to be the focal point.


	5. Chapter 5

Whoops, little late. There was college packing to be done since tis the season. That being said, heads up that next week might be a day or two late as well since that's when I'm moving in. The feedback on this story is so great it makes me smile, thank you guys for that and your patience.

* * *

When she woke the next morning Emma's eye still hurt from crying so much the night before, but she felt much better otherwise. She dressed quickly and slipped from her room to find Regina at her post outside of the doors to her chambers.

The brunette nodded to her. "Princess."

Emma scowled but said nothing. The other woman wanted to maintain a façade of professionalism while she was on duty. She thought it was ridiculous since they were getting married, but Emma allowed it anyway.

"Regina." She wanted to go up and hug the other woman and thank her for last night, maybe if she was feeling bold a peck on the cheek too, but Regina would probably scold her for that later. Instead she settled for a warm smile and tried to communicate with her eyes just how much she appreciated the comfort the other woman had given her. She motioned the other woman through to her rooms and sat in front of the fireplace again. Regina stood at attention off to the side.

Emma looked over at the woman. "What have you heard of my mother today? And don't lie to me, we both know you've had your feelers in the court out ever since you rose today."

"I have made some inquiries, but the thing is that no one knows anything, just that your mother and you have been having a few fights mostly focused around the subject of me, nothing new."

Worry marred Emma's face. "That's not good."

"No, it makes me quite wary as well. Quiet fury is always worse than loud anger. I do not know what you're mother might be planning. Perhaps it's nothing, we can always hope. But if she is, then the fact that she's quiet says to me that she's planning something bigger than just a public chiding of your actions."

Emma sighed and sunk lower into her seat. "Just what I always wanted." She started to rub her temples. A headache was brewing at the base of her skull and if she was right it would turn into quite the doozy.

"No matter what she can't stop you from inheriting the throne, you made sure of that."

"How could she not just twist it to say I threw away my right to the throne, too?"

"She could, but there are safeguards against such things. You aren't the first royals to have a disagreement. There wouldn't be a kingdom anymore if the truth couldn't be ferreted out in family arguments. The lines of inheritance would have ended a thousand times over by now. I'd be more worried if you had a sibling who could easily take over the line and was more favored, but since you are an only child and your mother is past child bearing age you are the only way this kingdom will have a ruler, not that the nobility wouldn't love to advance one of their own to take over, but even your mother wouldn't want to see that after a thousand years of Whites on the throne."

"But then what could she be doing that's so hideous?"

"The most probable thing at the moment would be to fabricate evidence against me to prove I really was casting a spell on you. There are a thousand other possibilities, but your mother isn't known for playing the long game. Whatever it is she has planned we will find out soon enough."

"Before or after the wedding? She has less than a week now."

"I don't know, that depends on what she wants to do, really. In less than a week she cannot ram through a case of the magnitude of me putting a spell on you. The arguments that would have to be constructed against why our engagement was a fraud and shouldn't be counted under the old kingdom traditions would take time, as would the fabrication of evidence. She'd actually have to find someone who could cast a spell on you so magical residue would be found on you. There aren't many witches in the kingdom and they're wise enough not to come anywhere near the palace."

"So then what?"

"I don't know, princess."

Emma stood and walked over to the balcony doors. The curtains were pulled back letting in the bright mid-morning light but not open, the morning was far too chilly just yet. "Those weren't exactly the answers I was looking for." She sighed.

"I wouldn't think so."

"I know you have friends within the staff, but really I need someone to obtain information that's more than just gossip. My mother and the council have spies for such purposes, but I have no one."

"You want to spy on your mother?"

Emma glanced back over her shoulder. "In this case? Yes. She might be endangering our future with whatever she's doing. If we knew what was going on, if we couldn't stop it, at least we could be prepared for it."

"I see your point, but where would we get someone who could weave among your mother's people for such a purpose?"

"Mother's servants."

"Are all loyal to her."

Emma smiled, watching her reflection in the glass return the expression. "Not all of them."

"You know someone?"

"I do."

Regina walked up behind Emma, concerned face appearing in the glass. "I appreciate having information, but what if your mother finds out. This is high treason, spying on a monarch. That's beside the fact that it will make relations between you and your mother even worse."

"I'm not sure that's possible." Emma crossed her arms in front of her.

Regina out a hand on Emma's shoulder. "I think it is, even now. There's a point of no return, and you haven't crossed it yet. You're teetering on the edge, yes, but there's still hope. If you come crashing down on the right side you might be able to talk to your mother, truly talk, and work out all the differences that have come between you over the years slowly. Fall on the other side and she will truly be lost to you forever. Tell me, is that what you really want? Because your distraught behavior last night tells me otherwise."

Emma was silent for a long time. She stared beyond her reflection in the glass out to the trees that would be turning colors very soon and their pine companions. Winter was going to be too long a season this year. "No, that's not what I want."

"I did not think so." Regina squeezed her shoulder and stepped back. "You should eat, Princess, you barely did last night and you have a long day ahead of you."

Emma nodded and went to look for one of her ladies maids. She didn't feel like facing everything just yet.

* * *

She managed to just get through another council meeting with a straight face. Emma had tried her best to listen, but knew she hadn't done a good job. She had caught snatches of conversation, no more than that. She figured that Regina would forgive her for her transgression at least this once. Most of the meeting she had been looking at her mother from under her eyelashes. The woman hadn't seemed affected at all by what had happened the day before. Emma didn't understand how that was even possible. Had they really grown so far apart in the last few months that her announcement that they were no longer mother and daughter truly had no affect? Or had her mother turned into some hard hearted version of herself that felt nothing? The woman who had raised her for all these years would have been devastated if she had said the same words to her just a few years before.

The Princess was quite sure that the only reason she didn't try to interrupt the council meeting to ask her mother about it was Regina's quiet presence behind her. It calmed her just enough to keep a rational head. She didn't want to take back 99 percent of the things she had said, only that they weren't mother and daughter. Everything else still stood, she was still angry, but it was tempered now by fear and time. It would only make it worse, however, to air such dirty laundry to the council. She could already hear Regina's lecture if she did say something, so she kept her mouth shut.

When the council members started to file out, Emma stood and looked hesitantly at her mother. Should she apologize? Would a qualified apology really do anything at this point? Emma looked at Regina. The other woman's eyes gave away nothing of what she should or shouldn't do. Emma frowned. This would be the one time that the knight would leave it up to her to decide what to do. She looked back at her mother. An apology certainly wouldn't hurt at this point. It wasn't as if it could really make it any worse.

Emma stepped forward and opened her mouth, but before any words could make it out her mother interrupted her.

"Emma, would you give Regina and I a few moments alone?"

Emma froze, looking between the two women. Oh, this could not be good at all. But her mother was looking at her expectantly. Regina sent her just the slightest nod, shifting so her arm brushed her sword. The other woman could handle herself, but Emma was worried that that was what was going to be her downfall. If her mother really wanted her gone she wouldn't be against faking an assassination attempt and blaming Regina. Or even just saying Regina tried to kill her. It would be a Queen's word against a knight and there was only one way that that could end.

She sent one last look at Regina, begging her to be careful before she stepped from the room. Emma barely made it out the door before she was pressing her ear against the door, but it was too thick and she heard absolutely nothing. She cursed and backed away. Gods damned good craftsmanship. She wanted thin doors so she could hear what in the world her mother wanted with her fiancée. She may be her mother, but right now Emma didn't trust her as far as she could throw her.

The minutes standing outside the door seemed to stretch into eternity. Emma started to pace. The longer this went on the more horrible scenarios played in her head, things that wouldn't ever even happen, but her mind kept on imagining them anyway. A dragon would not fit inside the council chamber, let alone be slaughtering Regina while her mother watched. She pulled in a deep breath and tried to calm down. It was futile, but Regina's words about always remaining composed echoed through her head so she tried her best.

When Regina finally opened the door a few minutes later Emma almost tackled her to the ground. She let the door shut behind the knight before she asked, "Are you ok?"

Regina shot her a rather blank look and didn't say anything. She laced her hands through Emma's and pulled them away from the council chambers. Emma tried again, asking Regina if she was ok as they walked, but Regina still was silent. The other woman wasn't too terribly talkative on duty, but this was unnerving. Emma was about to pull them to a stop, tug Regina into a secluded alcove and demand what was going on, but Regina was leading them towards her chambers, so she tamped down on the urge.

When the doors to her rooms shut, Regina relaxed slightly, but still didn't talk. She walked over to the couch and sank down, hand gripping her sword so hard that it was white. Emma quickly sat down beside her, bringing up a hand to Regina's face and turning the woman's head so she faced her.

"Regina, seriously, what is wrong? What did my mother do to you? You have to tell me so we can fix whatever she's done, that's what you always say to me. We can think of something, can't we?"

Regina closed her eyes and for all the world looked like she was about to break down. The moment passed, though, and she opened her eyes again, looking much less blank than a few moments before.

"No, I'm not sure we can."

"What do you mean? Regina, just tell me. You're making me think she sentenced you to death or something and you'll be dead within the hour and there's no way for me to stop it." Emma's eyes widened. "Please dear gods tell me that isn't it."

Regina shook her head. "No, I'm not going to die within the hour." She turned and looked out towards the balcony and the sky beyond.

"That still makes it sound like you're going to die soon. That's not exactly comforting. Damn it, Regina, stop being so vague."

"That's not language befitting a Princess."

"I don't care right now. Just tell me!" Emma's hand dropped from Regina's face to her shoulder, shaking the brunette just a little.

Regina turned to face her again. "Your mother sent a letter to mine, inviting her to the wedding on royal stationary with one of her ridiculous royal sky rats just to be sure that my mother knew it wasn't a hoax." She looked away again, hand gripping the sword at her side harder than ever.

Emma gasped and shrank back into the couch. "She didn't. She knows what in the world that woman put you through."

"She does and yet she did anyway."

Emma's anger flared again. The mother that she knew would not do such a thing for a personal grudge. Perhaps she wasn't quite so sorry she had told her mother that they were not family after all.

"What's going to happen, do you think your mother will come?"

"I'm not sure, and I think that's what scares me the most."

"Why?"

"Because if she doesn't come that does not mean that she's not plotting something to do with the information your mother just willingly handed her. She's such a fool. She fears the Dark Kingdom but willingly harbored the runaway princess and now gave my mother complete leave to attack just to return me to my proper place." Regina snorted and stood, starting to pace the room. "My mother would have never believed the rumors of peasants about me marrying you. She probably believed I was still running across the world, never stopping for long, to out run her, or that I was dead. She would've never considered the option that I'd settle down somewhere. I surely would have never been so foolish. That was exactly why I picked a kingdom far enough away from my mother for any news to get to her would be horrendously out of date and distorted by the peasants but close enough that she never would search here after the first wave of scouts," Regina continued to ramble. "But now that's ruined."

"What do you mean? What could she plan without even coming to see if it was for sure you here?" Emma interrupted her.

"My mother has other ways to make sure it is indeed me here. She doesn't need to show her face at the wedding. She has probable cause to attack the kingdom because of me, as I said. She could be planning an invasion instead."

"There's no way we can keep out the Dark Kingdom's forces. On our army's better days we could hold off a kingdom half our size, but nothing more."

"And my mother has the best army for a thousand leagues, I'm well aware. Your puny forces wouldn't last a week, perhaps not even a day."

"So it's worse if she doesn't show up?" Emma stood, wanting to comfort the other woman, but she was far too agitated to accept any.

Regina halted her pacing. "That's not for certain, either. My mother is very good at playing the long game as well. I'm marrying into the royal family here, Emma. If you don't think that she'll see a golden opportunity in that, you aren't looking hard enough."

Emma sighed and nodded, going over to Regina now that she was standing still once more. "Is there anyway she'll just do nothing?"

Regina laughed humorlessly for a long moment. "No. Only if that stupid bird got eaten by a falcon, that's the only way she will do nothing."

"So what do we do?"

"In this case?" Regina closed her eyes and visibly slumped. "In this case I have no idea." She opened her eyes, brown gaze filled with fear and pain. "I can deal with idiot nobles and even your stupid parents, but my own? I've never known how to deal with her and it's been years since I've had to."

Emma stepped forward just a bit, her hands found Regina's armor covered waist. "You have something you never had back in those days, me. You keep telling me that we'll figure things out, and I know that this could be twenty times worse than anything that's come up in my life in the past literal forever, but that doesn't change anything. Two heads are still better than one."

Regina moved to tug out of Emma's hold, but Emma wouldn't let her. She gripped on harder and moved with Regina as she backed away. Regina scowled, but eventually stopped, just staring at Emma.

"If she comes after us, Emma, we'll be fighting a war on two fronts. Those never end well. Too much focus on one side and the other overwhelms you. We can't fight your mother and mine at the same time, it just won't work. We will go down somehow and it won't be pretty."

"But if she attacks the kingdom then it would eliminate the problem with my mother. There will be absolutely no time to fight out a family feud when we'll quite literally be fighting for our lives."

Regina scoffed. "Please, fights last through the most inopportune of times. Your mother is far too stubborn to let anything go." She looked at Emma. "And so are you."

Emma scowled. "Thank you for that lovely observation, but you said that the whole hard headed stubborn thing would come in handy once upon a time."

"I did, but I left out the part where that could also be your downfall if you don't know how to temper it. You can't be stubborn all the time, Princess."

"Yes, my knight." Emma rolled her eyes. "The point still stands, Regina. If it comes to your mother attacking us something will give with my mother. If not her then I suppose I'll find something to please her just to save our own skins. I might want to throw up in my mouth a little bit doing it, but alive and nauseous is better than dead."

Regina looked at her for a long moment. "We still won't win."

"What happened to the realist that normally inhabits this set of armor?" Emma tapped on Regina's armor a few times.

"There is no room for any optimism when faced with my mother."

Emma drew Regina closer to her, faces only a few inches apart now. "Regina, for now there is absolutely nothing that you do. Stop worrying until there is. We'll send scouts out the Dark Kingdom and we'll watch every single move that your mother and her army makes. I'll tell Claudine to watch for your mother's return reply and let me know what she said. Until either one of those things comes back with news then all worrying will get you is sick. You keep telling me we'll figure it out together, well now you need to believe it."

Regina swallowed hard. "Emma, you don't understand. My mother—she just—I'm," Regina's voice broke. "I'm terrified of her Emma. With all I've seen she's the single most terrifying person there is, and yet she's still my mother and I just—"

Emma drew Regina into a full blown hug. Regina hesitated a second before sinking into her arms. She drew in shuddering breath after shuddering breath, but never cried.

"I know, Regina. I get it, I really do. Your mother is your mother and sometimes you feel a connection even if you don't want to, but no one is invincible, not even her. That's what you've been teaching me, isn't it?"

Regina laughed weakly. "I suppose it is."

"Good, then I've actually been understanding. Better than I can say for most of the study of etiquette."

Regina sunk even further into Emma's embrace. Emma just held on and focused on the other woman's breaths against her neck. She wanted to rub circles on Regina's back, but she knew that would be useless with the armor, so she just settled for holding the woman tightly.

When Regina pulled back some time later, she looked at Emma with eyes full of emotions that Emma couldn't even begin to name. "Thank you."

Emma nodded. "You're welcome." She didn't know what else to say after that, but she felt like something was missing. The words wouldn't come, though, so she just leaned up and kissed Regina on the cheek lightly.

The brunette sighed quietly. "We have a meeting with our wedding planner in a few minutes. It wouldn't do to miss that less than a week out."

Emma nodded, so back to business then. Just as well, it would distract Regina from her mother for at least a little while. "No, that it wouldn't. Let's go then." She grabbed Regina's hand and led them out of the room.


	6. Chapter 6

Back to your regularly scheduled fanfic updates now that I'm all settled into school. Enjoy guys.

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Emma took a deep breath. Then another. And another. But it never quite felt like she was pulling in enough oxygen. Tomorrow. Tomorrow was the day. She swallowed hard. Oh dear gods above. How in the world was she supposed to survive this?

Her nerves had kicked in as soon as her last handmaiden had left her for the night and hadn't stopped since. Now the moon was high in the sky and Emma knew she wasn't anywhere near sleeping. Worry after worry plagued her. Regina's and her own mother played a large part in those worried thoughts, but they weren't the largest part. Her mind kept returning over and over to Regina and if the woman would be truly happy with her. She was so inexperienced. She was always relying so heavily on Regina, wouldn't the other woman get tired of that eventually? Emma was trying to learn, trying to be better, but what if she didn't learn fast enough? They would already be married and there would be no backing out for either of them. What would they do then? Present a united front even though they weren't? That would get around the court quicker than a stable fire. If they didn't work out then there was no real way they could find anyone else for them. They would both be miserable and without love.

She started to pace. She should have already worn a hole in the floor from all the pacing she had done already throughout the night. Perhaps falling through the floor at this point would be a blessing. Then she wouldn't have to think about such things. But then again that would leave Regina without the protection being engaged to her provided. If she died her mother would have Regina's head within the day. She groaned and tossed her head back, still walking. Her legs knew the path so well by now she didn't have to look.

She wondered if pre-wedding nerves were this bad for couples that were already in love when they were getting married. She wondered if they were better or worse for those Princesses who had to marry to someone without knowing them at all. At least she did have a relationship with Regina before tying the knot, even if it wasn't a romantic one. Yet. Her stomach flipped in an odd way at the thought.

And as much as she worried about the other woman's happiness in their marriage she wanted Regina there more than anything to soothe some of the worries. Emma wasn't quite sure if the brunette was there if she would share the worries over their future married relationship, but she would be there to quiet some of the worries about her mother, and that was worth more than anyone would ever know. Just Regina's presence would calm her, she knew. But that wasn't an option since they had to spend the night apart. Not like she didn't know at least three secret tunnels that would get her near enough to Regina's room that she probably wouldn't be caught, but Regina had been totally on board with the idea, so she wasn't going to take that away from the other woman.

She walked over to her bed and sank down. Half a year ago all she had wanted to do was go riding and exploring the countryside, doing whatever she pleased. She had never even begun to imagine that things would be so complicated in her future. Being a princess didn't interest her really, she hadn't known just how complicated everything could get. Now she did and even that was compounded by every single decision she had made. Deciding to marry Regina had been the best decision she had made so far, but it had by far been the most problematic of them all. Those problems wouldn't go away because she was permanently bound to the other woman, she knew. They were worth it, but gods damn it she didn't want to have to feel like she and Regina were fighting for a little bit of stability.

Regina, she supposed, was used to that fight though. Her mother wouldn't have provided anything near a stable environment for her growing up. Hell, a kingdom away from her mother and Regina's life was still being rocked to its foundation by the woman. How were they supposed to win like this? How were they supposed to fall in love? Was it even possible? Would Regina come to resent her for all the problems she had brought into her life? Resent her for her mother finding her again? Just because she didn't now didn't mean it wouldn't happen someday.

She got up and walked to the window again. The countryside was peaceful outside her window. Everyone else had extinguished all of their candles long ago so she couldn't see the houses that dotted the hills around the palace. She looked up at the sinking moon. It wouldn't be long now before the sun rose and she was whisked off to primp and prepare for her own wedding.

When she had imagined her wedding as a small girl this was not what she had in mind at all, in any aspect. She had pictured something so like the description her parents had given her of their own wedding, something filled with love and a huge horde of well-wishers and friends with more flowers than she ever thought possible, complete with her own prince that would sweep her off her feet gazing lovingly into her eyes as they vowed to spend the next eternity with each other. The wedding was going to have flowers, that was about all her real wedding and long ago fantasy wedding had in common. The prince had turned into a princess and she hadn't quite been swept off her feet yet. The well-wishers were wolves in sheep's clothing. There were more politics in her wedding than she ever would have thought before.

She really hated being Princess sometimes. She didn't hate the fact that she could help people, but everything else…well that was up for debate. Most days she just wanted a normal life, not one of royalty.

Emma started to pace again, thoughts circling right back around to where they started, her problems with her mother and what baring that would have on the wedding. She didn't stop walking again until the sky started to lighten. She sighed and looked out. There was no point in trying to sleep. Her ladies in waiting would be here soon enough to start to get her ready. She might as well just stay up and save herself the trouble of being pulled out of bed much before she was ready.

She continued walking until the first knock came on her door. She took one last deep breath, relaxed the muscles in her face so her expression seemed impassive, and went to open the door. Servants flowed into the room around her as soon as the door was even cracked. Emma closed her eyes for a fraction of a second. Oh, it was going to be a very, very long day. She wished that she could be anywhere else but being dragged to her bathroom while a line of girls filled the tub with hot water.

Emma let herself drift. Her servants would bend her and pose her the right way. She really didn't have to be all there for this. She didn't want to be all there anyway. She yawned as the bathroom around her started to fill with smells of extravagant bath oils, soaps and perfumes. She was just so tired now, mentally and physically. All that nervous energy she had just a few minutes before was just gone. Her brain crawled forward at a snail's pace. Her limbs moved like lead as a few of her ladies in waiting stripped off her night gown and threw it to the side. In her wildest dreams this was not what she was supposed to be like on her wedding day, but at the same time she couldn't snap herself out of it.

She was lowered into the bathtub and the warm water started to relax her muscles, still tense from pacing almost the whole night through. It felt lovely but the sensation was not enough to draw herself out of her head again. She felt her limbs lifted from the water one by one and scrubbed clean, felt herself lifted from the water at the end so the rest of her body could be scrubbed, her hair was washed gently and all of the soap rinsed from her yet again before she was taken from the bath.

She idly wondered as she was helped into a chemise whether she would be like this all day, float through her wedding in nothing but a haze. Had she really spent all of her emotions the night before worrying? Regina didn't deserve a wife who was no more responsive than a doll at her wedding. She didn't want to be a doll for herself either. This may not be her first choice, and gods was it all so complicated, but she truly did like Regina and she was beginning to wonder if it really wasn't more already. They should have a happy memory together because gods knew when the next one would be with potentially both of their mothers out for their heads.

Even that wasn't enough to pull her out of her own head. She was directed to sit at her vanity as the servants went about drying and brushing her hair out carefully. Emma watched carefully as her hair was braided into a complicated up do that looked stunning on her. She wondered vaguely who had come up with such a style as she definitely hadn't picked it out herself. She had told them she wanted something simple, her normal princess curls perhaps with a few strands of jewels woven through for an accent that would please her mother. But looking now she thought this was much better, even if there were enough pins in her hair now to kill something. She looked…older, more in charge somehow like this.

Then her reflection was blocked as a girl stepped in front of her and set to work on her makeup. Here she had requested simplicity as well, but wondered after her hair if she would truly get it. She couldn't imagine that being heavy handed here would look good though. Emma was young and pretty on her own, only accents were needed or it would look like she was trying too hard, at least she thought. Still, she wasn't in the right frame of mind to voice her last second opinions, mind still floating ten feet above everything, there but not. It didn't matter, when the girl pulled back a handful of minutes later her makeup was done, simple, light eye makeup that made her eyes look that much bigger and a covering of foundation to smooth out her skin tone.

Emma took in her whole reflection. She truly did look like a bride with her perfect hair and makeup. She heard the rustle of fabric behind her. The image would only be enhanced by her dress. She moved for the first time of her own will to turn and look at the dress being laid out for her. She smiled slightly seeing that Margret had followed her directions and hadn't changed a single thing about it. It was the only thing in this whole production that was really and truly hers and she was glad it had stayed that way.

The girls motioned her up and she obeyed, walking over to the little stool they had set up so they could more easily fix her dress once she had it on. She stepped into the dress carefully, leaning on a girl so she kept her balance. Her ladies in waiting pulled it up and she slipped her arms through the delicate sleeves. The next second the laces of her corset were being pulled so tight Emma was sure she would pass out, but she managed to find a breathing pattern that kept her upright. She stepped up on the stool when the tugging was done and the girls set to work straightening everything to perfection.

She looked over at the mirror again and the corners of her mouth tugged up farther. She may not be able to breathe or think straight right now, but she looked…it wasn't quite how she imagined it when she was little, but she looked like a true bride. That shy smile she always saw on her face when she was little wasn't there, neither was the happy blush, and her eyes were slightly glazed over in thought, but somehow it all still worked. Emma liked the picture in front of her. She wondered what in the world Regina looked like if she looked this good. She would probably have a hard time breathing when she saw the other woman, maybe lose the rhythm of her steps. She found herself looking forward to the possible humiliation of looking like an idiot in front of so many people. Regina would be there, that was what really mattered.

The door opened behind her and a page boy stepped through. He bowed low after staring at the Princess for just a fraction of a second longer than was really proper, but Emma just smiled at him. "Begging your pardon, your highness," he said after he rose, "but they're calling for you downstairs. It's almost time for your entrance."

Emma nodded. "Thank you, I'll be right down." She stepped from the stool and took as deep a breath as she could. It was time.

She waved the girls away from her and their last touches. She would look how she would look now. It wouldn't do to be late for her own wedding that would look much worse than having a stitch out of place. Her legs didn't feel stable anymore and yet she was still standing. She walked forward and they held her, still. Perhaps maybe all that training that Regina had put her through really was coming in handy.

Her servants formed quite the party behind her, still fussing over her despite her earlier dismissal, but Emma was on another planet, paying no mind. If they could keep up with her clipped pace to the throne room then then could fix whatever they pleased. As she neared the site of her wedding the numb feeling that had enveloped her since the sun had risen started to clear. At first it felt nice, to be able to feel again, but then came the terror that the numbness had replaced hours before. Except this time she couldn't breathe through it. The corset she was wearing was stopping her. She pulled in gasping little breaths and knew that if she didn't start breathing at a more normal pace soon she would be on the floor and that would look even worse than being late.

But she knew she couldn't stop walking now. She was in the public eye, to stop now would be weakness. But so would fainting. Oh god, what was she going to do. This was all out of control. She wasn't Regina, she didn't know what to do half the time, or any of the time really. She wasn't worth the other woman. Regina should marry someone confident and capable in some far off kingdom where her mother-in-law wouldn't send word to her mother of her whereabouts and everyone took her seriously and no one feared her because of the magic she was born with. Somewhere the complete and total opposite of the White Kingdom with someone the exact opposite of Emma, that's what Regina deserved.

And despite her erratic breathing she made it to the holding area where she was to stand until the music that cued her entrance played. She looked around disoriented. How in the world had she managed all of this? She really was the foolish princess that Regina had called her on months ago, never paying attention to what was around her, acting as she pleased. She wasn't worthy of any of this.

She tried to peak around the curtains hiding her from view. Oh god, what if Regina's mother had actually come? How could she let herself space out at a time like this? She had to be on her guard.

Emma was starting to feel faint now. The shallow, rapid breaths were getting to her finally. She leaned against the wall slightly, not enough to mess up her hair and dress, but enough to support her. She felt her maids in the back of her start fussing into over drive, cooing over the nervous princess. They all thought she had the regular wedding nerves and cold feet. Emma felt like laughing. Oh, if only. That would mean she was just another silly girl getting married, not the princess and heir to a throne. Whatever she and Regina had it would always be polluted by that.

Then the music was playing for Regina to walk down the aisle. Emma lunged forward just a little and managed to stick her head out just far enough that she saw the other woman walk out from behind her own set of curtains straight across from her. The breath flooded back into Emma in one startling gasp. Regina was beautiful, painfully so. Emma wanted to run out and touch her, she couldn't believe the vision in front of her was real. Emma had gotten a glimpse of what the other woman would've looked like as a princess in dresses, flowing around the palace gracefully, but now was when she truly believed it. Regality oozed from every pore of Regina, her presence owned the room. Emma heard the gasps around the throne room as Regina passed them.

And Emma's mind finally, finally settled. Whatever was between her and Regina was theirs. It wasn't tainted by her being princess of the White Kingdom. What they allowed into their relationship was their call alone, and sure her being a princess had started everything, but that was no means how it had to continue. They could be anything and everything to each other except for princess and knight, or soon to be fellow princesses. That was their choice. For every other choice that could be made for them whatever was between them was their choice alone.

Emma stood up off the wall, head not spinning so fast now that she finally had her panic under control. She was ready when the music changed and the curtains were drawn back. She stepped forward confidently and kept perfect time to the music. She focused on nothing but Regina in front of her. She felt it still, the panic from earlier. If she let herself think of anything but Regina she would lose it right here right now in front of hundreds of people. But Regina was her anchor. Everything was possible with her, if only in their relationship, not outside of it. But they would do their best to make sure everything they needed outside of each other was easily reachable as well.

She could read the same war within Regina's eyes, the slight panic, driven away by the sight of her. It seemed they were of one mind today. Emma smiled at her and immediately the smile was returned. Everything was ok in that moment between them. Emma stepped up beside Regina, finally at the end of the aisle. All other concerns faded to the back of her mind truly now.

The high priest of the realm stepped forward and joined their hands together. Emma's breath caught just slightly as her skin came into contact with Regina's. She had touched the other woman before, but this was different somehow. She looked up from their joined hands to Regina to find her staring at Emma already. She shrugged almost imperceptibly. She wasn't quite sure what had just happened either, but she had felt it. Emma would ask her later when they weren't standing in front of a few hundred people. Perhaps it was nothing, but…Emma just didn't think it was.

"We come here to join these two, Emma of House White and Regina of the Dark Kingdom, in marriage," the high priest began.

Emma had no real interest in what the old man was saying. It was all complete and utter hot air anyway, playing up just how great the White Kingdom was, how lucky Regina was to be marrying into such a kingdom, what great rulers Snow White and her prince were and just a quick mention of how competent Emma herself was as a princess. It was all posturing and it wasn't what Emma wanted to remember from this ceremony at all. She focused on Regina instead, focused on how the white of the woman's dress lightened the color of her eyes to a dark honey color, focused on how the callouses on her hands felt good against her smooth skin. Anything about the woman in front of her was concentrated on and damn the world around them in that moment.

Regina's dress was styled similarly to the one she wore. They had both chosen sleek over poofy, though it looked like Regina had more room to breathe than Emma did. Emma was slightly envious just of that fact alone, but then Regina filled out the dress so much better and looked gorgeous enough to stop someone's heart and Emma was going to get a complex from the woman, she just knew it. She really wanted to reach out and trace her fingers along Regina's bare shoulders, the wispy off the shoulder sleeves showed off Regina's toned arms. A small smile made its way onto Emma's face. She couldn't help but think that Regina had told Margret to leave her arms bare on purpose to remind everyone just what she did as her day job. She may be covered in silk from Qin, but that didn't mean she wasn't dangerous.

She caught Regina's eye again after surveying the other woman's body. Regina smiled at her, eyes sparkling knowingly. Emma blushed, caught in the act, but then she felt the weight of eyes sweeping up and down her body as well and she blushed for an entirely different reason.

The high priest finally let go of their hands and reached behind him for the binding cord. Emma sighed. The first step in a list of many more than necessary. It was ridiculous what White Kingdom tradition dictated a marriage ceremony consist of. The priest tied the cord around both of their wrists, only instead of laying there mundanely as it was supposed to the cord lit up white-gold for a few seconds before fading. The priest stared for a few long seconds before glancing up at Emma. Emma cocked an eyebrow at the man.

"I have a vague clue, your highness, but I do not believe in the middle of a ceremony is the place to discuss it. It does nothing to the validity of the ceremony either way."

Emma nodded and looked back at the cord. Her eyes met Regina's. There was worry there and Emma didn't blame her. Had the cord reacted with Regina's magic somehow? Did the cord glowing have something to do with the spark that had flown between them earlier? Emma really needed to do some research on magic later, this hole in her knowledge would not help her in the long run, damn what her mother and the laws of their kingdom said.

The priest continued the ceremony, handing them chalices while one set of their hands remained tied. They drank from the other's goblet as the priest went on about fidelity and whatever other values a married couple was supposed to have. The little page boy that had attended Regina during the tournament slipped from the wings, holding onto a pillow with their rings on it. Regina smiled widely at the boy. He returned the smile and held the pillow up to her eagerly.

Emma took a breath as Regina picked up the white gold ring off the pillow. Everything had been real before this moment of course, but she was about to receive something solid that would represent everything that was happening to her right now. It was about to become a physical thing, and for some reason that held much more weight with Emma at that instant.

Regina grabbed her bound hand and slipped the ring on. "With this ring, I, Regina of the Dark Kingdom, wed Emma of the White Kingdom." Her voice rang out across the huge crowd.

Emma flexed her fingers just slightly, getting used to the weight of the metal on them. The page boy slipped over to her and held up the pillow. Emma grabbed Regina's ring and took hold of Regina's unbound hand. The ring pushed on easily, with just enough to resistance so it wouldn't fall off the other woman's hand.

"With this ring, I, Emma of the White Kingdom, wed Regina of the Dark Kingdom." Her voice wasn't as clear, didn't reach every corner of the hall as Regina's had, but she knew it was firm enough. No one would question her later about her commitment.

The priest nodded beside them. "Then with the power invested in my by the gods of this kingdom I pronounce you married. You may now kiss to seal the covenant."

The butterflies in Emma's stomach went into over drive. They had hugged before and she had kissed Regina on the cheek in a fit of bravery, but this was different. This was a kiss on the lips, their first kiss. Emma took a deep breath. This didn't have to be their first anything if they didn't want it to be. What was between them was theirs and this…well this kiss was anything but between them at the moment, forced on them by social custom and a huge crowd of people. Regina would understand later if she explained why she didn't think this was their true first kiss.

Emma took a step forward just as Regina slipped a hand onto Emma's waist. The knight drew her in gently, lowering herself just slightly so their lips met in a chaste kiss. Emma's eyes fluttered closed.

Oh.

Kissing had never felt so…before she could come up with a word Regina was pulling back again. Emma turned to the crowd who were clapping politely. Above them the bells in the towers of the palace rang and rang, signaling that they were married to all those who hadn't been in the room. Emma glanced over to Regina. This wedding hadn't been anything like she had ever imagined, but somehow she wouldn't change it for the world.

Regina pulled them down the aisle as their exit music played. Now they only had to get through the feast and they were home free for at least the night.

Immediately after they exited the throne room another flurry of servants were in front of them. Emma's ladies maids were squealing over how beautiful the ceremony was while quickly fixing anything that had come out of place. Emma waved them off after a minute. People would be drunk soon enough that it wouldn't matter what she looked like. The whole time they kept walking towards the banquet hall. Emma felt like she was being herded like common cattle. Beside her Regina was fending off the worst of the servants queries and for that Emma was grateful. She needed six seconds just to take a breath before diving into the next thing, but only Regina seemed to get that.

When they reached their places at the head of the banquet table Emma heard the rumbling behind her signaling that everyone who had been in the throne room was making their way towards the food. Her eyes flicked over the table, and oh food there was. Living at the palace there was always an overabundance of food at every meal, but no more than the servants could finish off after the meal was done. This…there was enough food to feed a small regiment and then some. Emma held down the anger at the excess. The servants would find someone to eat the food, she was sure. There were more than enough peasants in the street to finish off whatever they didn't. But that was still poor consolation for an act that should have never happened in the first place. The food they were wasting today could have been put in the stores to help the peasants survive the winter when the insane taxes her mother would impose to pay for the wedding took food from their bellies.

Nobility and foreign royalty flooded in the banquet room as Regina and Emma stood behind their chairs. Emma plastered a smile on her face. It wouldn't do to seem like an ungracious host, especially with a few kingdoms attending who were on the verge of attacking them. She felt Regina's hand slip into her own and the smile became much more genuine. A meal and some dancing, that was all they had to get through. She just had to keep repeating that to herself. When this was all over she could start to deal with the consequences brought about by this fool's errand.

Everyone found their seats quickly. Emma applauded whoever made the seating chart, it kept key players as far apart as possible and yet still managed to put people beside others that they tolerated. Her eyes swept up the table to those sitting nearest to her and Regina, her parents were right beside them of course, but the others sitting near them were actually people Emma didn't mind as much. She really would have to thank whoever had made the seating plan, they had made this evening that much more tolerable.

Regina looked over at her and Emma nodded. Together they reached down and grabbed the glasses in front of them, already full of wine. Emma tapped her fork gently against the side of her glass. The sound wasn't extremely loud but the room fell silent anyway. She smiled at everyone looking at her and cleared her throat.

"I'm so glad that everyone could come to help us celebrate our wedding." She shot a loving look at Regina. "We're both so happy. It's a blessing from the gods that we found each other." She looked back out over the tables. "And our kingdom will be much stronger for it. But, as everyone does know, the best part of the wedding is the food, so without further ado let us sit and eat."

Everyone around them chuckled a few times before sitting down. Emma had to stop herself from flopping down in her chair dramatically. Everything about this was completely exhausting. Regina leaned over and set her chin on Emma's shoulder.

"That was a rather well thought out commencement," Regina whispered in her ear.

Emma laughed once humorlessly. "Thank you, but there wasn't much thought to it," Emma whispered back.

"Emma—"

"Yes, I know, not thinking is bad, but Regina I'm a little fried right now. I do have instincts about these things after all these years even if I don't use them at points. You've taught me enough that winging it isn't so hard."

Regina huffed. "Fine, but if you're really that exhausted then why don't you let me do the talking."

"Because you can't do all of it or people will think something is wrong and I don't know what's worse, them thinking I'm an idiot with a foot in my mouth or thinking I'm your puppet or something."

"Fair point, dear." Regina's thumb started to make circles on Emma's hand. "It's just that you look so tired, I see it in your eyes, and I don't want you to do something you'll regret."

"Yeah, well, I didn't sleep last night and I already regret that, so perhaps it's a bit late for that." Emma sighed. "But thank you for trying. It's only a few hours now before this is all over and we can take a break from being political beings."

Regina nodded. "Alright, but if you find yourself lagging in any way I am right here. It's now literally my job to support you through these things."

Emma laughed, truly this time. "As if it hasn't been for the last few months even without the ring." Emma's spun the ring on her finger with her thumb. The weight of it felt odd there.

Regina drew her head back and smiled at Emma. "Well then, why don't we eat? I think the cooks might have outdone themselves."

"Maybe a little too much," Emma mumbled under her breath, but set about filling her plate anyway. The food was in front of her, she might as well do her part to consume it. She sat back and started to pick at her food, waiting for the vultures to descend on them.


	7. Chapter 7

Continuation of the wedding, including their first dance. Hope you guys enjoy and thank you all for the reviews, follows and favorites, they really do make my day, especially when writing ten page lab reports.

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The meal passed in a haze of mundane small talk that made Emma want to rip out her hair. So really it was like any other political function she had ever been too but the scale was just bigger and she was the center of attention. More than once a group would come up to the head of the table and badger Emma and Regina for a few minutes at a time, fawning over them and telling them what a beautiful wedding it had been. Regina dealt much better with those people than Emma herself did. The fakeness of everything grated on her too much for her to truly seem genuine.

But now people were slowly finishing up and Emma was sighing out a breath of relief. A ball was up next on the party schedule, but she could be much more wrapped up in Regina without being rude. Few people would interrupt the happy couple dancing together, not that she didn't expect that there wouldn't be a few, but she had learned years ago how to cut dances short without seeming rude and how to slip out to the garden unnoticed. They weren't even slated to be there the whole event. As newlyweds it was practically their duty to slip out halfway through to enjoy the rest of their wedding night alone. That sent a bolt through Emma that had nothing to do with the continued prospect of social niceties.

Emma looked over at Regina as both of them stood and announced that the ball would be starting soon. What in the world was the other woman expecting of her tonight? Since they were married now Regina had every right to demand her due. The thought sent panic through her. She had absolutely no idea what to do in that situation. She had no experience. It wasn't as if she didn't find Regina attractive, anyone with eyes did, but they weren't quite at that level yet. They had barely even kissed and that was only because they had to for the ceremony, unless you counted the kiss on the cheek and Emma really didn't.

She took a second and cleared her mind as Regina's hand slipped into hers to pull her towards the ball room. Regina wouldn't do that to her. That would be the exact same thing that was done to her years ago. She was much too good a person to do that. She cared too much about Emma. Her body warmed at the thought of the whispered I love you a week prior. No, tonight was only between them and only would go as far as she was comfortable.

Emma started to calm, muscles relaxing, when another thought hit her. Was tonight really between them? The kingdom would be looking for an indication that their marriage had been truly consummated, how in the world were they supposed to provide such evidence unless they were together? Her grip tightened on Regina's hand yet again. Maybe Regina knew a way to fake it? She had been out in the world and had much more experience in just about everything, since she hadn't talked to Emma about their wedding night before hand surely that meant Regina wasn't worried about it, that she had some sort of plan. Emma desperately wanted to pull Regina aside and ask, but there were far too many people around them. Perhaps when they were dancing and the music was loud enough to cover anything that was said between the two of them.

The crowd swept into the ball room. The room was draped in white silk, the same fabric as Regina's dress, with flowers everywhere. The sight was breathtaking, but Emma found she really couldn't enjoy it, thinking about cost and the food that was taken from the peasants' hands just for a few bolts of silk. All a ball really needed was good music, but that was rarely ever followed.

Regina led her towards the center of the floor and drew her close. On instinct Emma put her hands up into position. Regina took her extended one. Emma smiled shyly up at the other woman, not used to being so close even after the hugs they'd shared recently. Regina returned the smile and as soon as the orchestra started playing, whisked her off across the dance floor as everyone else watched. Emma melted into the other woman's arms, allowing her to lead effortlessly. She enjoyed the dance for a few long moments silently before speaking up.

"I didn't know you danced this well," Emma said.

Regina cocked an eyebrow. "Don't let the armor fool you, Princess, I had dancing lessons back in the Dark Kingdom same as you."

Emma snorted. "Dancing lessons and talent are two different things, or did you not have the pleasure of getting your feet stepped on at your first few balls by over eager boys."

"Mmm, fair enough." Regina winced. "First ball I was ever allowed to go to a boy almost broke my foot, but of course it was my fault according to my mother."

"I'm sorry." She really did hate bringing up any memories connected to Regina's mother. Her eyes always got pinched and her face paled a few shades. "She didn't show up today at least."

Regina made a noncommittal noise. "Just because I haven't seen her doesn't mean she isn't here somehow."

"I think you would know somehow even if she was in disguise. Not much gets past you."

Regina spun her away before bringing her back in. "Maybe. The hair on my neck always used to stand up when she was watching me and it hasn't today, so perhaps she isn't here. Nevertheless, it's safer to assume she is."

They danced silently for a few moments longer. Everyone who wanted to dance was now circled around them, gliding across the floor with various amounts of ease. Emma could feel her own mother's eyes on her, but ignored them. She had been the polite, ever gushing mother of the bride that she was supposed to be all day, but Emma saw behind the façade easily. As soon as their guests were gone it would be back to the same old story it had been before.

Emma rested her head on Regina's chest. "Do you get a little sick at how lavish this all is."

"A little, yes, but since it cannot be helped I've just been trying to enjoy it for what it is."

"I suppose that's healthier than the controlled anger I've been going for all day."

"We'll do as much as we can to fix it during council meetings after my coronation, you know we will."

Emma nodded. "I do, but that doesn't stop the ire at the stupidity of all of this."

"Pomp and circumstance is part of being a royal. I'm quite sure you'll have to use it as Queen just as your mother has, though more responsibly." Regina lowered her head onto Emma's. "For now it is our wedding, put politics aside for just a few more hours and try to enjoy it."

"The only parts I've enjoyed so far are the ones with you."

Regina smiled and laid a gentle kiss onto Emma's hair. "Those have been my favorite as well."

Emma stayed nestled into Regina's chest as the song changed into something slower. "I'm glad."

Dancing for the most part kept everyone at bay, but finally someone tapped her on the shoulder and asked Regina if he could possibly steal her away for just a song. They both gave brittle smiles to the man and Emma stepped into his arms. The muscles that had relaxed while dancing with Regina tensed up again and they were off dancing to the music. Emma made polite small talk with the man, keeping an eye on Regina. She had been swept up by some count from another kingdom almost as soon as Emma was out of her reach. When the song ended someone else was right behind her, waiting for a dance.

And so it continued for the both of them until Emma could stand it no more and politely excused herself in the middle of a song, claiming exhaustion and the need for a bit of fresh air. Within minutes Regina was right beside her, staring out at the stars that had long since come out. Regina drew her close when Emma started to shiver. Fall was really upon them now. Out in the dark world the leaves were just starting to change colors. Emma had never been able to decide what her favorite color was, the bright deep red or the vibrant orange that some of the leaves turned. Yellow had always looked too sickly for her, like the tree was truly dying instead of just going to sleep.

"They'll be sending us off soon," Regina spoke into her ear.

Emma shivered, but this time it wasn't from cold. "Thank the gods. If I have to hear one more noble tell me you were a good match for me but they would have been better I might actually scream."

Regina chuckled darkly in her ear. "I've had people tell me the exact same thing. I've just been smiling and telling them all the reasons why they are not in the form of a 'woe as me you are right' speech. I've left more than a few confused men in my wake tonight."

Emma smiled. "Now, now, what have you told me about making enemies where they aren't necessary?"

"No one can question the strength of our union. We have to make the kingdom look stronger, remember darling? Divesting them of these foolish notions that they would have been better is the first step in that."

Emma hummed her agreement and pressed further into Regina. Her wedding dress was not made to hold in heat at all. They would have to go in and face the wolves soon just so she could warm up.

"I've just been going on and on about how wonderful you are until they shut up about it. I like you're way better."

"You have taken to dismantling people piece by piece quite well. I'm beginning to think you enjoy it maybe a little too much." Regina looked at her with eyes filled with laughter.

"You might be right, but after years of having nothing to hit back with it's nice to finally have some way to tell pompous old men who think they know everything to shove it."

Regina chuckled again. "As long as you do remember that such measures should be taken only when necessary."

Emma huffed. "Of course. I have been listening to you all these months, you know." She leaned her head on Regina's shoulder. "You're the only one who's been making sense."

Regina squeezed Emma tighter to her side. "I try." When she felt Emma shiver against her again Regina continued. "Though now I think it's time for us to go back inside before we catch cold."

"How much longer until you think we can slip off from all this?" Emma sighed.

"It won't be much longer, darling, but I doubt slipping off is an option. Your mother will probably make quite the large fanfare out of it."

Emma groaned loudly. "Great, I'm just going to love all those leering stares directed our way."

Regina turned them and started to walk them in. She made a sound low in her throat that almost sounded like a growl. Emma looked up at the other woman questioningly.

"They won't stare at you like that if they know what's good for them."

Emma was about to ask what she meant by that but then they were inside again and such questions would have to wait until later. She had a feeling Regina's answer would not be for polite ears to hear. Regina led her onto the dance floor again and spun her around the room with ease. Dancing with Regina like this made her feel like the center of attention, but she didn't feel as if she was just some decorative ornament as she did with some men. Emma enjoyed the feeling of not being treated as something to be owned, even if being the center of attention wasn't her favorite thing.

A few more dances and her mother made her way onto the stage with the musicians. The orchestra fell silent as she stopped at center stage and everyone stopped to look at her. She cleared her throat delicately before speaking.

"I do believe it's time for our newlywed couple to take their leave. They have quite a few other things to enjoy tonight besides dancing. The party for the rest of us will of course continue until we can dance no more." She smiled out at the crowd, but Emma could read the fakeness in it. "So with that why don't we give Emma and Regina one last bow before they run off for the night?"

At the words the entire room sank into bows and curtsies around Emma and Regina. Emma took a deep breath and smiled at them all, Regina's arm around her waist keeping her steady. When everyone rose Emma grabbed Regina's hand and pulled her forward towards the door, taking the cue to leave and running with it. She nodded at everyone smiling at them and bidding them goodnight, but not more than that. She wanted out of this mess as soon as possible.

When they reached the hall with the doors to the ballroom closed behind them Emma finally let out a relieved sigh. That was finally over, thank the gods above. She turned towards Regina and smiled. Regina returned the expression and tugged her forward.

"Come, let us be off before some of the nosier courtiers find it in themselves to try and spy on us."

Emma grimaced and followed. The butterflies in her stomach increased with every step towards her rooms—their rooms now she supposed—until she thought she was bound to lift up and fly away. The safe feeling of being with Regina never left her, but her nerves still couldn't be tamed.

As soon as Regina threw open the door and walked inside Emma felt as if she was going to throw up or pass out. That would not make their first night as a married couple memorable in a good way so she managed to talk herself out of it and walked in without doing either. She shut the door behind her and threw the lock. Regina was right, she really didn't want to risk some nosy idiot trying to get a peek at what they were doing.

Across the room Regina collapsed onto the couch in front of the lit and roaring fire with a groan. Her shoes went flying, stopping just short of the fire. Regina looked at them for a long moment before looking over at Emma and biting her lip. She waved her hand timidly and the shoes scooted away from the flames and nestled themselves by the couch's leg. Regina shot her a sheepish look.

"I really didn't want to move."

Emma's nerves settled just a little bit at that. She walked over herself and flopped down, taking much more care with her shoes. They weren't really practical for every day wear, but she liked them and there would be many more balls she was sure she could wear them to so she didn't want them going up in smoke. She leaned heavily onto Regina, drawing her legs up onto the couch, wrinkling her skirts enough that she knew the women who did the laundry would be cursing her name.

"I totally understand." Now that she was sitting all the tiredness she had been putting off all day came crashing down on her and she could barely keep her eyes open.

"It's been a long day."

Emma hummed, eyes slipping shut. She felt Regina's arms come up to wrap around her and draw her closer. She sighed, this wasn't so bad, but then again they'd been this intimate before. Their clothes were still on and they were doing nothing more than hugging in the scheme of things. This wasn't what had made her so nervous. She felt safe in Regina's arms like always, but she just didn't know anything about what came next really. She had figured out enough from the servants' gossip, but had no idea how to put that into practice. What if she wasn't good? What would happen then?

Emma swallowed hard as she started to tense up more. Above her she felt Regina perk up just slightly and she froze. Regina brushed a piece of hair that had fallen out of her intricate hairdo from her face.

"We need do nothing that you aren't comfortable with tonight, darling," she said in a gentle, soothing voice.

Emma looked up, startled. "But, won't they need some proof that we've consummated our union?" She gestured towards the door.

Regina leaned forward and kissed her gently on the forehead. "They will, but that's easy enough to fake, a few drops of blood smeared into the sheets and they'll be satisfied."

"Really, that's all it takes?" She scowled just the slightest bit. How could something that was made such a big deal out of boil down to nothing more than a few drops of blood. It seemed utterly ridiculous. Then again, that seemed to be par for the course for all the traditions of the kingdom.

"That's all it takes." Regina smiled at her warmly. "So don't worry about what they're expecting. Whatever happens between us, or doesn't happen, is ours."

The words brought warmth to her. "Ok." She settled back into Regina's arms, but popped up a second later when one of the bones in her corset jabbed her. She rubbed at her side and stood up. "Unlace this gods forsaken corset for me? I don't think I'll be able to fully relax unless it's off. I can barely breathe."

Regina stood. "Of course, as long as you return the favor. I don't know whose idea it was to make dresses so hard to get in and out of, but they should be run through."

Emma laughed and walked towards her room. She paused a second on entering. It was different now, she squinted for a second before picking out just what had changed. Regina's things were in her room now. She sighed, of course they were, these were their apartments now that they were married. Regina didn't have much stuff, so it really didn't make too much of a difference to the room's appearance, there was just far more weaponry that before. Regina's sword hung off of one of the chairs and her bow and arrows sat on top of the neat pile of her armor.

Regina came up behind her. "Well, they were efficient." She walked over to a new set of dresser drawers and opened it, drawing out a thick set of tights and a loose, worn looking shirt. She threw the outfit over the changing screen and turned to Emma. "Why don't I go first, the way your corset is laced it will be just as much of an ordeal to get it off as it was to get it on."

Emma groaned, just great. Still, she walked over to the other woman and made quick work of the rather simple laces. Regina stepped away from her, holding the dress up with one of her arms and shot a smile at Emma. Emma's mouth went a little dry at the sight of Regina standing there, one wrong movement from being in only her undergarments in front of Emma. The other woman slipped behind the screen and changed quickly, emerging in much more comfortable clothes with her dress hung up expertly.

She shook herself and went to go grab one of her thicker nightgowns. It was going to be chilly tonight once the fires burned down. Winters in a palace were always drafty and colder than they really needed to be. When she threw the gown over the screen Regina was right behind her, working patiently at the laces of her dress. Emma forced herself to breathe as skilled fingers swept up and down her back loosening the infernal corset. She was sure such simple contact should not make her feel so breathless, but it did. Her mind wandered briefly, wondering just what it would be like to have Regina's fingers on her bare skin, but she shook it off quickly. She wasn't ready for that just yet.

Regina let out a triumphant noise just as the dress loosened around her. Emma grabbed onto it just as Regina let loose the last few buttons that had closed up the lace top. She shot the other woman a grateful smile, finally being able to breathe for the first time in hours and went to change quickly.

Regina wasn't in the room when she finally emerged, but Emma found her easily enough, nestled back into the couch, legs stretched out, eyes closed, face peacefully relaxed. Emma smiled at the sight, it most certainly had its draw. She wandered over and sat, nudging Regina's feet out of her way. Regina's eyes blinked open sleepily. Her brow creased in thought for just a second before she scooted back into the couch and patted the area in front of her.

Emma hesitated. This seemed so much more intimate than all the things they had ever done before. She tried to tease out why, but couldn't. She had fallen asleep with Regina on the couch before, cuddled into her side, how was this any different? But it was no matter what she told herself. It was Regina, though, she was safe, and laying all curled up with her after everything the day had brought was appealing.

She crawled up the couch and positioned herself carefully. Regina drew her back the second she was settled, melding their bodies from calves to chest. Emma sighed at the warmth that enveloped her, the fire in front of her and the heat of Regina behind her. Regina's arm curled around her waist, hand resting on her stomach as appropriately as possible in such a positon. Emma wiggled back into the other woman just a little further and stilled. This was nice.

Regina nestled her head into the back of Emma's, breath tickling the fine hairs on Emma's neck. She fought the urge to laugh and squirm at the sensation, it was just so different. Regina hummed contentedly and it vibrated Emma's whole body. It was odd being so connected to another person.

"Is this ok?" Regina whispered behind her.

"Yes."

She felt Regina smile behind her. "I'm glad."

They laid like that silently for a long while. Emma felt her eyelids getting heavier and heavier. She really didn't want to fall asleep, she was enjoying her time curled up with Regina, but her body had other ideas. She had been up for the better part of two days and the adrenaline that had kept her going all day was gone now that she was relaxed, but still she fought.

A chuckle rumbled through Regina as Emma jerked awake rather violently, almost sitting straight up before realizing what she was doing. Regina sat up with her and nudged Emma from the couch. The fire had burned low in the time they'd spent together on the couch, just barely lighting Regina's face now, her smile standing out more than anything.

"I think perhaps it's time for us to go to bed." Regina stood up and stretched for a long moment before offering her hand to Emma.

Emma took the outstretched hand, not trusting herself to do anything else after watching Regina's toned body ripple and flex as she stretched. She wasn't sure how the other woman had made even such a simple act seem so graceful, but she had. Regina pulled her into their bedroom. She pulled down the covers and just as Emma was about to fall into the bed, Regina gestured for her to wait. Emma sent her an odd look but complied.

Regina walked over to her stack of things, pulling out a dagger and walking back over to the bed. She drew up the sleeve of her loose shirt and had the dagger slit across the fleshy skin below the bend of her elbow before Emma could even ask what in the world she was doing. The knight hissed a bit and put the dagger aside as a small amount of blood welled up.

"Regina, what in seven hells are you doing?" Emma couldn't draw her eyes away from the cut.

"I already explained to you." Regina climbed up on the bed to the center and let a few drops fall before smearing it into the sheets. Satisfied with her work she climbed down and went back to her things, drawling out a few cleaning supplies and bandages. "It'll look better if the blood has turned brown by morning." She shrugged.

Emma shook herself and walked over the other woman who was trying to clean her wound one handed. The princess took the bandage covered in a foul smelling concoction and finished cleaning the wound before reaching for more bandages.

Regina handed her another pot of bitter smelling poultice. "Here, before you wrap it up use this. It'll help it heal quickly."

Emma nodded, took a healthy dose of the stuff and spread it over the wound before bandaging it up. She gave it a once over and nodded. The princess put away the extra materials and stared at Regina hard.

"Yes, I know, but when you said a few drops of blood I imagined a finger prick or two, not a knife wound."

"Someone would see wounds on our hands and it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what happened. I'm always wearing my armor, or at least something with long sleeves. No one will see the wound, or if they do I can sight a training accident, nothing too uncommon for a knight."

Emma huffed out a breath. "Your reasoning is sound, but still. I don't want you to hurt yourself."

Regina's expression softened. "I'll be fine, darling. I've been through much worse than a shallow cut such as this."

"I'm aware, but still." Emma walked towards the bed once more. The few drops of blood that Regina had smeared into the bed were drying quickly, but she thought a few more minutes wouldn't hurt. She'd rather not stain the nightdress she was wearing, that would probably give something away about what they were doing as well. She idly wondered what in the world they would do to explain the blood on the sheets when they truly did consummate their marriage.

Regina came up behind her and set a hand on her shoulder. "I shouldn't have to hurt myself anymore, darling, but next time if I do have to I'll make it clearer to what extent."

Emma frowned again, but nodded. She had a feeling that was all she was going to get.

Regina glanced at the bed and climbed up. She touched at the blood. "It's dry. We should be able to sleep now."

Emma went around to the other side of the bed and climbed in. Regina snuggled down in her own side, sighing, a slightly goofy smile on her face. Emma loved the look on her, happy and carefree if only for a moment.

"I think maybe the only thing I missed about being royalty was the beds." Regina spread out, legs and arms brushing Emma.

"The beds in the guards' quarters not up to par?" Emma had to hold back a laugh.

"Gods no, you're able to sleep on them of course, but straw will never beat down mattresses."

Emma scooted over to the other woman and snuggled up to her side, feeling bold for a moment. Regina looked down at her, smile changing from goofy to warm and loving.

"Of course their beds are also lacking certain bed warmers as well."

Emma scoffed. "Oh, so that's all I am," she joked.

Regina's look turned serious in a moment. "Never, you're so much more than that, darling."

Emma was slightly hypnotized by the look in the other woman's eyes. Their faces were only breaths apart in that instant. She was caught in Regina's gravity and she was almost positive she didn't want it any other way. She felt them both leaning forward and knew what was happening. Her heart beat faster in her chest.

Their lips met and Emma's eyes slipped shut. All the feelings from the chaste kiss at their wedding were back in full force and then some. She felt like she was flying and falling all at the same time and didn't know how it was possible that it could feel so good. She kissed the knight harder, feeling her hands come up and tangle themselves in Regina's hair. Regina's hands were on her waist again holding her gently yet firmly. It was a short eternity that they kissed and was over much too soon.

Emma sat there, staring at Regina, panting just slightly. "Wow."

Regina just nodded.

Emma dropped her head to lay on Regina's chest again. "I—um—yeah."

A laugh bubbled up from Regina's chest. "I've actually rendered you speechless."

"Well—I mean—" Emma sighed and took in a deep breath. "After that who wouldn't be a little tongue tied."

Regina's hand came up to start carding through Emma's hair. "Oh, I'm sure you'll be more tongue tied in other kisses."

Emma felt herself blush. She swatted lightly at Regina's side. "Not language befitting of a princess," she mumbled.

Under her Regina settled down further into the bed. "Ah, but between us we're anything we want to be."

Emma looked up at Regina. "Yeah, I guess we are." She paused for a second. "But why would you ever want to sound like a bar maid."

Regina laughed long and loud under her. Emma kept her eyes on the other woman, feeling a warmth suffuse her being. She pushed up just a little and her lips were on Regina's again, swallowing the laughter. Regina's arms came to rest behind her neck, drawling her in further.

Emma pulled back a long minute later, warmth still coursing through her. "Goodnight, Regina." She settled back into her positon curled up against the other woman.

"Goodnight, darling."

Emma sighed and felt herself drifting off almost instantly, warm and safe in the arms of her wife.


	8. Chapter 8

So, thank you to everyone who left lovely comments on the last chapter. Praise and constructive criticism are always lovely and helpful and basically what I live for. Snippy comments provide me with a laugh, so really I don't lose here. The support that this story has gotten just amaze me; it's my first one to break 300 follows. But my effusive rambling is not why you're here so, read and enjoy.

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Three days later Emma stood on the dais of the throne room again, but in front of a blessedly smaller crowd. The crown on her head weighed heavily. She really did hate when she had to wear this thing, she much preferred the tiaras she wore to less formal occasions. They didn't weigh a ton and have to be pinned in place because they were slightly too big. But of course for the most formal of occasions the crown of the heir to the throne was what she had to wear. It had been around almost as long as the kingdom had. Emma severely wished that somewhere along the line it had gotten lost, but of course not.

She looked up as the doors opened. Regina was there, standing regally in her rather elaborate coronation gown. They had been able to fight for simple things for their wedding, but coronations had set in stone standards. The dress had enough diamonds and gold thread sewn through it to feed the kingdom for three months, sweeping up from the floor and covering almost every inch of Regina. The brunette stepped forward, servants following her carrying the long train of her dress. She looked magnificent in her dress of white and gold. The colors of the kingdom rather suited her, Emma thought.

She couldn't help but thinking as Regina walked up the aisle under the eyes of the nobility that she was glad that her own coronation had been when she was a few weeks old. She couldn't imagine going through it now, everyone watching and waiting for a slip up to invalidate your claim on the kingdom. Emma had triple checked that everything her parents were telling Regina at the few practice sessions that they had had was right. She hadn't put it past her mother to do something quite so underhanded after inviting Cora to the wedding. But everything had been the same, so she had relaxed, if only slightly.

While she would have been nervous, Regina looked calm and self-assured, even as she climbed the stairs, looking dead into Emma's eyes. Her political mask was flawless, but her eyes always told Emma the truth, and even here in front of so many people she was somehow collected. Emma envied that. Regina could only teach her so much and she wasn't sure being so calm in front of a crowd was one of them.

Regina stopped in front of Emma and sunk to the ground, head bowed. Emma felt her mother come up beside her, skirts rustling softly. She resisted the urge to look over and observe the woman. In the few days since the wedding she hadn't seen her mother for much more than the council meetings and practice sessions. She was still torn between whether she wanted to apologize or hold her ground on everything she had said, but the time apart had at least given her a chance to cool down now that everything wasn't so life and death with the wedding and the investigation of Regina, which had officially ended with their vows a few days prior. Snow was being a rather royal pain in the ass, but she was still her mother.

Her mother cleared her throat and addressed Regina. "Regina, formerly of House Mills, now of House White why do you appear before us?"

"To take my rightful place as a princess of the kingdom beside my beloved spouse Emma of House White," Regina told the ground, never looking up.

Emma saw her mother nod just slightly out of the corner of her eye. "And you find yourself worthy of such position?"

"Only if the kingdom sees fit, your majesty."

The Queen turned towards the crowd. "And does the kingdom see fit?"

There was a slight pause before a low grumble of assent made its way through the room. No one objected though, and that was the most important part. Still, Emma logged a few faces who had said nothing at all and kept the information for later use.

"Then as Queen I give my blessing for you to take your place as princess among my court." Snow handed Regina the scepter of the original king.

"I am eternally grateful, your majesty." Regina looked up just enough to take the scepter and looked back down again quickly.

Snow White stepped back towards her throne.

Emma cleared her throat this time. It was her turn to speak. "Regina of House White, do you intend to help me, your honorable wife, rule the kingdom to the best of your ability?"

"I do, your highness."

"And you will not use the powers given to you against me?"

"Never, your highness."

Emma felt herself relaxing just slightly. Only one more line to go. "Then as crown Princess of the kingdom I give my blessing for you to take your place as princess at my side." She stepped forward and looped the Star of the Kingdom over Regina's head. The large jewel settled itself against Regina's breasts, sparkling wildly. Emma stepped towards her own throne, a step down from her mother and father's.

The kingdom's high priest stepped forward, standing in front of Regina now. "Regina of the House White, do you promise to guide the people of this kingdom, never leading them astray?"

"I do, your holiness."

"And you shall serve the gods just the same?"

"I will, your holiness."

"Then rise, my child, and take your throne."

Regina stood gracefully and walked to the new throne on the right of Emma's. The girls who had been carrying her train scurried over and helped her adjust her skirts so she could sit down. Once she was settled the priest walked over, a less ornate crown in his hands. Regina looked over the crowd with bright eyes as the man made it to her side.

"Then as high priest of this kingdom I give my blessing and that of the gods for you to take your rightful place as a princess of this kingdom." He gently settled the crown on top of her head and stepped back.

The crier stepped forward now. "All rise!"

Everyone in the room stood as one. Emma glanced over at Regina, a small smile breaking through her regal façade. Regina looked a lot better than she did in a crown. She was so glad that she was her wife in more than one way.

"Kneel for your new Princess, Regina of House White."

Everyone in the room knelt, head bowed as Regina had earlier, save for Emma and her parents who bowed and curtsied low enough to convey respect for someone of a slightly lower station.

Regina stood and took a step forward, pausing for only a moment before speaking. "You may rise."

Again the room stood as one.

Emma stepped forward and took Regina's arm. Regina looked over at her and smiled and Emma returned the gesture before looking out at the crowd again with a straight face. Regina squeezed her arm once and Emma leaned into the other woman. The strength the other woman lent her was a gods send.

"Presenting the Princesses of the White Kingdom, Princess Emma and her wife Princess Regina!" The crier called again.

The room bowed and curtsied before filing out slowly, ceremony over. There would be another feast soon within the hour, but for now everything was finished. Emma sighed as the last person left and smiled freely at Regina now. She hip checked the other woman, but wasn't sure she felt it through all of the padding her dress provided.

"Princess Regina," Emma teased.

"Yes, Princess Emma."

Emma heard the eye roll in the tone. "Nothing, just sounds nice."

"Uh huh."

They both fell silent as her mother walked up to the both of them. The Queen's eyes roved over them, detached and cool. Emma felt equal parts ire and fear well up within her at the look. It was so utterly wrong to have her mother look at her in such a way.

"Emma, Regina." Snow nodded to both of them.

"Your majesty." Regina curtsied shallowly.

"Mother." Emma braced herself for whatever was about to happen. She couldn't think that it would be anything good, not with the way her mother was looking at the both of them.

Her mother's gaze fixed squarely on Regina. "Regina, now that you are a princess of the kingdom I rather think there are traditions you should uphold."

"I have upheld all those to do with the wedding and coronation. I do not see what other traditions there are to uphold."

Emma's stomach bottomed out. What in the world was her mother getting at?

"Yes, that you have, but there are quite a few others, mostly dealing with propriety and how a princess must act. As a former princess of the Dark Kingdom you must understand."

"I do, but as I have been a princess for less than half an hour I do not see how I could have acted in any way that is not befitting a princess. Even before today I conducted myself with the utmost care. What could possibly be your complaint?"

Snow's eyes flicked to the guards that were dotted at regular intervals around the room. She looked back at Regina after a long second.

Emma saw the very second Regina understood what was happening. Her eyes widened just a fraction and her face paled a few shades. Emma herself was a few seconds behind, fury rising when she understood as well.

"Surely you understand." Snow smiled fakely at the both of them.

"No, I rather think I don't," Regina said, hands clenching at her sides.

"It just won't do for a princess of the White Kingdom to also be a knight. It's just not proper."

"And yet if she were a man there would be absolutely no debate. If I was a man I would be required to be a knight, but since I am a woman I was denied the right. The tournament was held so I could find someone who could protect me, and Regina being a knight does just that."

"But now she's a princess and that comes first and foremost."

"First and foremost to the protection of the heir of the kingdom? In what world does that even make sense, mother?" Emma felt herself flushing with anger and cursed her fair complexion. She could control her facial expression all she wanted in the moment, but her pale skin would give her anger away.

"The world in which we are trying to make certain that other kingdoms think we are a force to be reckoned with, and with that comes perfectly traditional princesses."

"That doesn't make any sense either. We are a force to be reckoned with because of who we are now, the princess and her knight. We could be the head of state and the head of the army, knowing completely what each one takes to run and is capable of. Regina is capable of being the perfect princess when the time calls for it, but also a warrior." Emma looked at her mother with hard eyes.

"Those are not mutually exclusive, as you've well seen. Did I look anything like a knight today playing through the script for the coronation? Did I stumble once? Did I even look like anything other than the picture perfect princess? No. I did not, you and I are both aware of it." Regina's color had come back in full force, her eyes shining brightly now that she was fighting back. She loved her job as a knight. She didn't want to lose it.

"Perhaps not today, but if this continues you will slip up somewhere along the line and then the kingdom will look like a weak little country that can't even control its princesses. Where will we be then?" Snow took a step back, triumph in her eyes.

"We won't ever be there. I grew up in a kingdom where a slip up had more consequences than you will ever realize. I do not slip up. Ever. That is why I am one of your best knights and have been since I arrived."

Emma reached out and grabbed Regina's wrist. The other woman calmed just a little at the touch, but both of them were a little too far gone for the contact to do much.

"That is of no matter to me now."

Emma took a step forward, still staying connected to Regina. "Mother, you're being unreasonable."

"No, both of you are the unreasonable ones." The Queen turned to Regina. "As of now you are stripped of your title as knight and your position on the guard. Your armor has already been collected under my instruction. I allowed you to keep your sword out of the graciousness of my heart, remember that in the future."

With that she turned and walked from the room, leaving the two of them looking after for a long moment.

Regina turned to her, shaking now that no one was there to witness it. Emma turned to her and drew the other woman into her arms loosely. Unsteady hands gripped her dress and labored breathing filled her ear. Emma took deep breaths, trying to calm herself so she could be Regina's rock right then. There was absolutely no way now that she would ever take back what she had said to her mother, or ever apologize. The woman had hurt Regina twice now. There was no coming back from that. Once may have been coincidence, but twice was a pattern. This was pure retaliation for what she had said before the wedding. Fury burned white hot within her, but she pushed it down for another time.

"We'll find some way to get you back onto the guard. We won't take this laying down." Emma's hands stroked up and down Regina's back in what she hoped was a comforting manner. "Until then she didn't forbid you from practicing, only from your position on the guard."

Regina drew her in a little bit tighter and nodded into her hair. "Yes, there is that."

"Your sword though…I'd hide it. It means too much to you to have my mother take it away in a fit of rage."

Regina nodded again. "I'll take care of it later tonight."

"We'll slip out of the feast early. Everyone still expects it since we were married less than a week ago. We're in no state for prolonged exposure to such idiocy."

"I agree."

Regina had stopped shaking so hard now, only slight tremors wracking her body. Emma drew back just slightly to look at the other woman. Regina's eyes met hers, full of onyx fire. She leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Regina's forehead, standing on her tip toes. A smile crossed Regina's face for a second, before fading back into the fury.

"Now come, let us go feast with fools and get this over with."

Regina nodded, stepping back and leading her from the room.

* * *

Emma startled up out of bed as the door to her bedroom flew open. Her hand immediately found its way to the dagger that she kept under her pillow, but she stopped short of pulling it out. Regina was scrabbling around in her things muttering under her breath. The replacement sword she had acquired after hiding her original sword went flying across the room in its scabbard. Emma entertained the idea of getting up and trying to comfort the obviously distressed woman, but then Regina was throwing off her shirt and Emma stayed put, averting her eyes.

When the rustle of cloth stopped Emma snuck a quick glance to make sure it was safe once more. Regina had already thrown on another outfit and was digging through her chest of various possessions. She pulled a dart board from the chest along with a handful of darts. A flick of her wrist and the board was floating across the room, affixing itself to the wall. Regina followed behind it, positioning herself a decent distance away and then letting the darts in her hand fly one by one with deadly accuracy and force.

Emma now slipped from the bed, walking over to the other woman. She laid a gentle hand on the shoulder of the arm Regina wasn't using for throwing. The knight stilled for a second before going back to flinging darts. The last dart hit the board with a thunk and then Regina turned to Emma.

"What's wrong?" Emma asked. She watched Regina's fist clench hard. To break the other woman's calm façade something big had to have happened. If she was right her mother was probably at the bottom of it.

"What's wrong? What's wrong? What isn't wrong at this juncture?" Regina spat.

Emma knew it wasn't her that she was truly mad at, but the words stung nonetheless.

At the hurt look on Emma's face, Regina softened a little. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that, it's just…your mother is an absolute snake. Keeping the urge to throttle her in check is taking every ounce of willpower right now."

She sighed heavily. Of course she was right and her mother was at the heart of the problem. The pattern continued it seemed. "What has she done now?"

"She didn't just order for the stripping of my title as a knight and a member of the guard, no of course not, that would be much too nice apparently." Regina ran a hand through her hair, pulling rather ruthlessly at the tangles. "She also ordered the other guards not to practice with me or else they would be let go. Not only did she take my job from me, but she took any real practice away from me so I can't keep up my skills." Regina let out a huff. "My mother was a tyrannical dictator of a Queen, but at least she allowed me sword lessons." She summoned the darts back to her hand and started throwing them harder, never missing.

"What? How can she even do that? That's completely idiotic. You're one of her best fighters, letting your skills get rusty in a time such as this is suicide. Stripping your title and position is one childish thing, this is quite another." Emma felt the fury rise within her. No wonder Regina was so angry.

"Emma, she's gone too far. I'm not sure she's going to stop until you capitulate to her will. You must talk to your father and see if he can get her under control." Her next dart landed dead center in the bulls eye. "Because at this rate I will kill her, high treason or not. That is if she doesn't get us killed somehow first."

"I'll talk to him, but Regina I'm not going to take back what I said to her. The way she's been acting I can't."

"Nor do I expect you to, but something has to change or your mother will run us all into the ground for her own petty squabbles. She's ruined enough about this kingdom. She need not ruin more."

"But how will anything change if I don't offer something. Right now I'm going to her with a literal cease and desist order, but she's the Queen and doesn't have to listen."

Regina heaved a sigh, the dart leaving her hand with less force. "I know. I'm just—"

"I know, trust me, I really do get it." Emma squeezed Regina's shoulder comfortingly. "In the meantime while I talk to my father do you think some of the peasants and merchants in the surrounding villages would train with you?"

Regina looked thoughtful for a long moment. "Perhaps. There are a few villages and towns surrounding the palace that are within teleporting distance. Any men there won't nearly be skilled enough to present a real challenge, but it's something."

Emma nodded. "Yeah. You always could challenge a few of the nobles, mother hasn't forbidden them to fight against you and they would be more skilled than a peasant would."

"That is also a possibility, but nobles tend to want to bet something on spars and I have nothing, or at least nothing that I would want to part with." Regina threw the last dart again and turned to face Emma fully once more. "If your mother wasn't acting as some petty teenage school girl then this wouldn't be a problem."

Emma snorted. "Believe me, I've thought something along the same lines a lot recently." She stretched now that the crisis was over and Regina was at least a little calmer. She definitely hadn't been ready to get up just yet. The sun was just starting to come up now. She yawned. "If you're not training, come back to bed. There's still a couple hours before we have to be up."

Emma shivered as she felt Regina's eyes rake over her, still in her nightgown. She'd been getting more and more of those hungry looks from the other woman since their wedding and she wasn't quite opposed. She also wasn't opposed when Regina stepped forward and drew her into a kiss. She sighed into it, wrapping herself around Regina. Kissing the other woman had become one of her favorite things to do.

"I suppose that can be arranged. I can start out to the villages tomorrow and find a few sparring partners. To keep up appearances though I should at least try to be seen every now and again doing solo drills in the yard." Regina smiled down at Emma.

"Good, then it's solved for now at least." She pulled the other woman back towards the bed.

Regina slipped off her boots and crawled into bed beside Emma. Emma was pleased to find that the covers were still warm. She curled up, yawning again. Within a few seconds Regina was wrapped around her from behind. Emma smiled and started to drift off almost immediately.

* * *

Emma stared at the door of her father's den. She wasn't sure at all how she was going to be received. She didn't have to worry about her mother being there at least. Snow White never graced her father's den, disgusted at the amount of stuffed animals hung around the room from her father's various hunts. But her mother not physically being there didn't mean that she couldn't influence the course the conversation would take. If he father believed the lies her mother was spreading about Regina and magic this might not go well.

Still, she stepped up to the door and knocked, this conversation needed to happen before anything got worse. She would die if her mother somehow found a way to ban her from riding or exiting the palace grounds. She needed what little freedom she could get to be able to put up with the idiots of the council and all the other annoyances of court life. She knew Regina was of the same mind.

"Come in," her father's voice came, muffled through the wood of the door.

Emma stepped inside and smiled hesitantly at her father. He returned the smile, bright and warm. He stood from his chair and crossed the room to Emma.

"Emma, I haven't seen you outside of dinner and council meetings in what seems like forever." He hugged her close.

Emma buried her face in his jacket and inhaled. He smelled like smoke and the woods and it always reminded her of her childhood. "Yeah, it's been a little busy lately, sorry."

"It's ok, little bird." He gestured for her to sit.

Emma walked over to her favorite chair and flopped down. She glanced around, feeling the dead eyes of the animals staring at her. Truth be told she wasn't really fond of this room either. The taxidermied animals freaked her out just as much as decorative dolls, something about the eyes just gave her the creeps. But this room had always been the only place that she could get some alone time with her father without her mother or anyone else, so she tolerated it.

Her father sat down in his own seat after stoking the fire just a little. "And your mother hasn't been making it easy on you either."

Emma sighed and slumped further down in her seat. Her father always did have a way of knowing what she was truly there to talk about. She found it slightly unnerving, if good to get the conversation going.

"Easy for me? No, she hasn't been making easy for Regina is really the problem. That's where everything between her and I started." Emma rolled her eyes to the ceiling. "Or at least that's where it came to a head. I'm starting to believe that this may have been a while in the making."

"What do you mean?"

"Just, it's been a long time since I felt she really wholly approved of me and how I act. I think even without Regina as the catalyst, as soon as I started taking being a princess seriously mother and I would've butted heads because how I want to do things is so different from what she wants."

Her father nodded his head. "That's true. A great deal of both of our philosophies found their way into you and then combined into something wholly new, something I think has a good chance of succeeding. Your mother, well, she's stubborn as a mule though and always thinks she's right."

Emma snorted. "Tell me something I don't know."

"I think she'll come around sooner rather than later, little bird."

"I don't know, father, I've said some things in the past few weeks that I'm not exactly sure we can come back from so easily and vice versa. The longer this goes on the farther she digs herself into a hole with me. Father, these attacks on Regina have to stop. She stripped her of her title as a knight and of her position on the guard. There was no call for it! There was no call for the investigation into Regina either or inviting her mother to the wedding. She has to be stopped before it goes farther. I don't want to be trapped within the palace because my own mother wants to make my wife and I prisoners in a gilded cage."

"She won't do that, Emma. She knows how much you love the outdoors."

"That's the thing, though, she's taking everything we love. Regina loved her job. She loved practicing with the other men. Mother's taken both of those things from her."

Her father scowled. "She had a reason. She discussed it with me."

"The reasons she gave was total idiocy. If Regina was a man she would almost have to be knight and no one would be questioning her right to practice with the other guards. Regina won my hand in marriage because of how good she is physically. Such parameters were set because my significant other had to know how to protect the kingdom and now mother is interfering with her ability to do so."

Her father's head titled to the side. "I see what you're saying, little bird, I do. What you're mother has told me of everything I haven't wholly agreed with, but you know her, she won't take no for an answer. But if it's truly making you unhappy I'll try to talk to her about it. I make no guarantees."

"Thank you, father." Emma sighed and leaned back in her chair again, almost horizontal in the seat now. She shot up after a second though. "Wait, what do you mean, haven't wholly agreed with everything mother has said?"

Her father shrugged. "I think she's going a bit overboard, but she has a point, especially with the investigation into Regina."

Emma glared over to her father. "Not you too," she huffed.

He held his hands up, palms out. "Don't get me wrong, Regina seems like a very good match for you, but you never can be too careful. She does have magic after all, it's better to check if you're under the influence of a spell early on, you know?"

Emma scowled. "Fine, maybe there was a little bit of a point to that, but that only came after I angered mother. Her intentions weren't wholly pure."

"Maybe not, little bird, but it still would've been done probably."

Emma sighed. "Yeah, ok fine. Everything else though."

Her father crossed his arms. "Everything else was a little much, yes."

Emma smiled slightly, triumphant. At least her father seemed to be partly on her side, more like directly in the middle, but she would take was she could get.

"I'm glad you agree."

Her father smiled at her. "Remember, I probably don't find it quite as offensive as you do, little bird."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Yes, but still, an agreement means something."

"Fair enough, like I said, I'll talk to her, ask her to not do anything else to the two of you and perhaps plant the seed of apology in her mind, but if she follows what I ask that is up to her. I'm not about to take away her choice in the matter, then both of us would be facing a rather large war and I don't think that would be good for anyone involved."

"That's all I could ask for." Emma smiled at her father. "And no, mother being mad at both of us would lead to a rather interesting atmosphere around the palace that no one would like."

Her father nodded. "Understatement."

Emma sat up again, situating herself in the chair normally. "Just as long as she doesn't try to contact Regina's mother again. Regina was genuinely fearful at the prospect that she would show up. She's still worried that she'll appear out of the blue sometime soon even if her mother didn't attend the wedding. I don't want her worrying like that. I want to be able to protect her in at least one way since she's already protecting me in all the other ways."

Her father's mouth twitched up at the corners. "Protecting your spouse at all costs is an important task." He reached out and squeezed the hand resting on the arm of the chair nearest to him.

"She's worried that she won't be able to protect me because of the ban my mother has put on her on practicing with the men. She's afraid she'll get rusty." Regina had actually found a rather good sparring partner in one of the villages around the palace, but she wasn't about to tell her father that when she could be getting Regina's job back just by sitting there talking. Her father had always been rather good about sensing what she truly needed from what she asked. Hopefully that would translate into now as well.

"She's very skilled. I'm confident she'll figure something out." Her father looked at her with a knowing twinkle in his eyes, but said nothing.

"I do hope."

"Don't worry, little bird, I have a feeling with the two of you working as a team there won't be much that you can't get past."

"Except for mother." Emma snorted.

"Well, everyone has their limits. I've been married to your mother for twenty-three years and still if she wants to do something or act some way there's nothing I can really do once she makes up her mind." He looked at Emma. "A lot like another woman I know."

"Father," she whined. "Not exactly what I want to hear at the moment."

He ruffled her hair. "I know, but it doesn't hurt you to hear it. You are your mother's daughter no matter if you two are fighting or not."

Emma furiously straightened her hair. "You never know, it could."

"Uh huh." Her father shot her a skeptical look. "So, are we on for our usual monthly hunt on Saturday?"

Emma lit up. "Of course."

"Good, good."

They started into a conversation about what sort of hunt they would have and Emma dropped the topic of her mother easily. She had gotten what she truly at come for, a confirmation that her father was at least going to try to do something. There was no real use beating a dead horse to her father. Such things could be used later if really necessary. When their conversation about hunting ended Emma left, saying her goodbyes and heading back to Regina and their latest princess duties.


	9. Chapter 9

Whoops, sorry for the skipped week, but last week was hellish with the exams and travelling home for like a tiny micro-break, so it really wasn't on the cards. Now that things have settled down for another few weeks, updates should return to normal. And as always, enjoy.

* * *

Emma threw the book she was reading at the wall. This was absolutely pointless and everyone knew it. Regina sat beside her and just glanced up at Emma with a raised eyebrow. Emma huffed and went to go pick up the book. Just because she was angry didn't mean that the woman in charge of the palace library should pick up after her.

"Whatever did the book do to you, darling?" Regina asked.

"This is just a pointless task, as has everything that we've done for the past week and a half. No one needs us to research the crop growing cycles from a hundred years ago and report on how we're doing as a kingdom in comparison. Who cares about a hundred years ago when right now we need to make sure that the budget is balanced in our favor without the peasants starving and that other kingdoms don't attack us."

"I'm well aware, but that doesn't mean you have to take it out on a poor innocent book."

Emma rolled her eyes and flopped back down on the reading couch that she and Regina had made their home base hours ago.

"I hoped things would get better after I talked to my father, but they've stayed the same except for the fact that our work has become even more boring. I would honestly rather be in a council meeting right now." Her head slumped back against the back of the couch.

"Honestly, this might be your mother's way of testing you out to make sure you're ready for something bigger and more in depth. You must remember that how you run a project will eventually affect the kingdom. Perhaps your mother is making sure that you will do a good job. If this report is thorough and in-depth perhaps then your mother would be willing to give you bigger and bigger jobs until you take over her role."

Emma flung the book she had just picked up onto the floor. "I wish I was just doing those menial tasks the council needs, in the room, actually getting to do something right of the bat."

"I know, darling, but there's nothing that we can do at the moment but go through all of this."

"I suppose you're right." Emma bent down and picked up the book again. She opened it to the page that she'd been on and sighed heavily. "If she really wanted an indication of how we would run a project then she could just look at how we planned our wedding. Everything about that took a great deal of forethought, balancing what we actually wanted with what was best for both the appearance of the kingdom and the cost for the peasants. That had implications, and yet we were allowed to do everything there. But anything more than that? No, of course not." Emma growled.

Regina hummed. "That's exactly it, though, darling. She wasn't exactly a fan of how we planned our wedding, or have you forgotten the argument the two of you had over your dress?"

Emma crossed her arms. "No," she mumbled. "But it set out to do what both parties wanted. It's not like the council hasn't received a few tentative offers for trade from some of the smaller kingdoms that attended because of our wedding. And the peasants will have enough to eat this winter, if only barely. We may not have followed what my mother wanted, but we got the job done." She uncrossed her arms and slumped forward, book falling from her lap. "I'm just tired of this fight already. I'm still so angry at her, but I just…" she trailed off.

"I understand. You want there to be a resolution but you don't just want to give up your position."

Emma nodded slightly, not moving her hands. "Yeah, that's it. If I was to go to my mother right now all of my concerns would be systematically dismissed and we'd both end up at square one. Then I'd be bitter and there would almost have to be another fight between us when I finally couldn't take anymore and I just don't want that. I get that a compromise between two parties means no one is wholly happy, but it wouldn't be that. She'd plow right over me. I don't know how to make it so that she actually has to take what I want into consideration, I never really have."

"You never really did execute my advice about couching your grievances in the language of feelings. You and your mother are very good at accusations and attacks but I'm not quite sure you know how to express anger in any other way. It's not exactly an easy thing, especially in the heat of the moment, but perhaps now you're ready. There's been some distance between the two of you for a while and it's been a week or two since your last real conflict. That's time enough for some of the feelings to die down so perhaps you can control the urge to yell."

Emma lifted her head. "You really think so?"

"I think perhaps it might be worth another try. Explaining how you feel might not lead to a solution right off, but it might lay the foundation. She quite honestly might see what she's doing as in your best interest and your protests up to this point might have just strengthened that image, quite like when you were little and used to throw tantrums over eating your vegetables."

"But it's not like that at all," Emma protested.

"I'm well aware, but then again I'm not Snow White. I thank the gods for that most days."

"Yeah, me too." Emma sat up again. "But what if even after I explain to her how I feel she shoots me down? She has every time up until this point, why would it change?"

"Number one you wouldn't be yelling, number two she might be feeling the same way you are, wanting to bridge the gap, but not knowing how. You make the first step this way and maybe she'll start to work with you."

"But what if?"

Regina sighed and closed her own book, setting it aside. "I'm not sure." She reached out and laced her fingers with Emma's. "The advice I'm giving you is about all I've learned of conflict resolution. I'm not extremely great in this area. It's not exactly like my mother would have ever tolerated anything of this sort. There never was a fight with her, she was always right. Any time I tried to rebel…well I regretted it rather instantly."

Emma squeezed the other woman's hand, trying to send comfort. She was going to punch Cora in the face the first time she ever saw her, she resolved. The look of pain, anguish, and fear on Regina's face was one she always saw when she talked of her mother, and one Emma never wanted to see again. She wanted Regina to be happy more than anything.

"So what you're saying is that we'll cross that bridge together if and when we get there."

Regina smiled at her weakly. "Yes, I suppose that is what I'm saying."

"Good." Emma looked down at the book on the floor. "I'm not exactly feeling the research anymore. Surely we've gained enough information for the day to stop."

Regina glanced over the few sheets of parchment they had brought with them. Now they were covered in dates, facts, and figures in both of their handwriting. She bit her lip for a few seconds before turning to Emma.

"I suppose, what did you have in mind?"

"How did you know I had anything in mind?" Emma cocked an eyebrow.

"It's not hard, darling, we've been inside for a long period of time and you never take well to those. Plus, I've rather noticed after anything even vaguely emotional you flee to the outdoors."

Emma blushed. "Am I really that transparent?"

"To me, yes."

Emma stood from her chair, gathering up the few books they had between them. She'd take them to the librarian for safe keeping until the next day. She really didn't want to have to trek though the shelves again to find them. That had taken a couple hours on their first day of research and she had no desire to repeat it.

"Ok then, I'll clean everything up. You go get the horses ready?"

Regina brightened slightly at the mention of horses. "I think I can manage that."

"Good." Emma smiled at the other woman before walking away to the desk the librarian usually frequented. "See you in a few minutes," she called over her shoulder.

* * *

With their books put away and their parchment full of notes safely stashed in their rooms Emma hurried down to the stables. Regina was already outside standing with Emma's horse saddled beside her, scruffling at the scant, dying grass around the large building, finishing up adjusting the straps on her own horse. Emma scratched the big horse on the nose, recognizing it as the horse she'd ridden during the tournament.

"This isn't the one you used to ride," Emma said.

"No, he isn't, but I became attached to him competing. He's a lovely horse."

The horse, as if sensing he was being talked about, nudged Regina's shoulder. The woman smiled at the animal and stroked his neck.

"And it seems he's a rather good judge of character as well, comes in handy." Regina walked around the horse and mounted him easily.

Emma got the message and mounted her own horse. "What do you mean?"

"He certainly didn't like the Laird who would have certainly killed me if given the chance. Also there are a few guards I know to be…bad apples shall we say and he hasn't taken kindly to them either. I've come to trust his judgment. When I've ridden him out to some of the villages he's invaluable in picking someone to spar with." She stroked her hand through his mane. The horse whickered, pleased.

"Oh, nice to know a horse has your trust." Emma almost toppled over as a sudden gust of wind hit her. She glared over at Regina. "Hey!"

Regina looked at her, fake innocence plastered over her face. "What?"

"That was totally you, don't play with me."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but if I did I'd say it has something to do with insulting me and my horse." She turned and started riding towards one of Emma's favorite trails.

Emma spurred her horse into action. "I'm not insulting you or the horse. I'm just saying the horse is a horse, not a person. He may have been right until now, but what if he's wrong. I just don't want you to get hurt, you know?" she said in a rush when her horse pulled even with Regina.

Regina's face softened. "I do. The horse isn't the only thing I listen to, Emma, I do have instincts of my own. You of all people should know that I can defend myself."

Emma nodded. "I do, but I still worry. Everything with my mom and your mom just has my guard up a little more than normal."

Regina laughed, but it wasn't exactly a happy sound. "Welcome to the real life of being a royal, darling. You never really know who you can trust."

"I can trust you."

"Well, I'm an exception to the rule as are you." The corners of Regina's mouth still pulled up despite the practical answer.

"One exception is all I need."

Regina broke out into a full smile at that. "How about we make this ride interesting?" Regina asked, changing the subject, still blushing slightly.

"What do you propose?"

"First one to the fallen tree wins?"

Emma gripped her reins a little tighter. "And what do I win if I get there first?"

Regina looked at her for a few seconds, appraising. "Sword fighting lessons?"

Emma perked up at that. Being able to defend herself with more than a bow would be beneficial to both of them, especially in a court full of wolves. "Ok, fair. But what do you win?"

"You have the power to dictate which horses are available for common use, right?"

"You want me to make him your horse exclusively." She gestured down at Regina's mount.

"I do. If you could put him in the stall beside yours it would be even better. Right now he's clear across the stables from your horse."

Emma smiled at the other woman. "It's a deal."

"Good."

"So where do we start?"

"How about just on the count of three?" Regina shifted in her saddle, getting ready.

"Doesn't whoever's counting get a slight advantage?" Emma crouched forward just slightly.

"Perhaps, but I think the advantage will be taken care of with ease, don't you?"

"Whatever you say. On your mark then."

"One."

Emma's hands twisted around her reins. She felt her horse under her shift, sensing the tension in its rider and responding accordingly.

"Two."

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Regina let go of the reins completely, gripping onto the horse's dark mane. She whispered to the beast under her for a long second before calling out the final number.

"Three!"

With that both of them were off, galloping swiftly over the ground. Regina took the early lead, reflexes having let her get off to a faster start. But this was Emma's favorite trail and she used the knowledge of the land and the power of the horse under her to catch her quickly enough. They traded a slight lead for a long stretch. Emma felt like laughing, adrenaline flowing through her, breath wooshing in an out of her as she moved with her horse. This was the freest that she had felt in quite a while. This was exactly why she had shirked her duties as princess, this feeling of unmitigated freedom and the lightness that came with it.

They were quickly approaching one of the most difficult areas of the trail. Emma knew they'd have to slow down in order to navigate it safely, but in order to win she couldn't slow down too soon. She looked over at Regina, looking for any sign that she was slowing. A second after the other woman tugged on the horse's mane she tugged on her own reins just slightly. Her horse slowed to a light canter and she led him easily through the rocky terrain. She was ever so grateful that she was a sure footed horse because half the things she did wouldn't be possible without her.

Out of that section she managed to pull ahead by just about a length. She smiled to herself and pushed her horse faster. She could actually win this. Laughter bubbled up and out this time, getting lost in the roar of the wind passing her. She could practically feel Regina's determined glare as the trees whipped past them on either side. Whoever won this race would never hear the end of it from the loser, she was sure. They both were the exact type to be a sore loser.

A turn in the trail had Regina pulling up even with her. Emma looked over, surprised. How in the world had the woman managed that? She held back pushing her horse though. If she pushed her much harder she would fade before the end of the race and then Emma would be completely out of luck.

Regina shot her a smug look. Emma stuck out her tongue in return, the urge to laugh coming back. God, the other woman was a complete masterpiece. A warmth suffused her being looking at Regina, her hair flying behind her, face pink from exertion. Emma wasn't quite sure what she felt in that moment, but she was sure that she never wanted it to end.

Then Regina was spurring her horse just a little faster and she was pulling ahead of Emma. She was torn yet again, if Regina pulled much ahead of her she wouldn't be able to catch her close to the finish, but faster now meant a burnout. Strategy wasn't exactly her strong point in racing, but she decided to hold back and wait. She knew this trail like the back of her hand, her moment would come.

Still, she was sure to not let Regina get too far ahead of her, cutting corners close and picking over the rough terrain perhaps faster than she should. Regina was an experienced horseman, but even she couldn't quite navigate the rough parts of the trail like Emma could. Perhaps blowing off court responsibilities had had some positive effect after all.

They flew along the trail, horses breathing hard, sides soaked with sweat. Emma felt sweat trickle down her own back, breath coming in hard fought gasps. It was always just a little hard to get air into her lungs going so fast and something about the feeling thrilled her. Horse riding looked like it took no effort at all, but that was completely wrong. Emma loved the burn of her muscles after a hard ride.

Her opportunity came on a steep part of the trail. Regina's horse stumbled just enough, losing momentum, but not hurting itself. Emma breezed past them, turning to make sure Regina was alright. When she saw Regina's determined face and the hard nudge to her horse's side she knew the other woman was fine. She shot forward, gap widening between them for a couple seconds, putting Emma a few lengths ahead of the other woman before she was back up to speed. She wanted to punch the air. They were over half way to their proposed finish line and she was in the lead by quite a margin. But then again she knew Regina wasn't going to give up without a fight. She kept her entire focus on the course ahead of them. If she didn't slip up in the eleventh hour she most certainly had good odds to win.

She crouched even lower over her horse's neck, her mane tickling her nose. Everything else disappeared, worries about the council and her mother were gone, only the horse under her, her breathing, and the course ahead of her mattered. She easily picked her way through every single area of the course, finish line approaching rapidly.

All of a sudden Regina was beside her again, pushing her horse as fast as she could go. Emma spurred on her horse, they were near enough to the finish line that it wouldn't matter. They were in a dead heat for a few long seconds, rounding the corner before the tree, charging towards it at an all-out sprint.

Then her horse pulled ahead just a little, and then a little more, and a half-length was between her and Regina. Another minute and she was sailing over the tree, laughing breathlessly, Regina right behind her. She pulled back on the reins as soon as her horse landed on the other side. She could practically feel the animal sigh in relief as it slowed to a stop. She patted the horse's neck.

"Good job, Odette. I'll be sure to give you an apple when we return to the stables." The horse gave a tired neigh, still breathing hard.

Regina rode up beside her, face still flushed, a little frown on her face. "So I see I'm teaching you how to wield a sword."

Emma smiled at the other woman, adrenaline still coursing through her. "You are." She reached across the gap and grabbed Regina's hand. "And it's only fair that you have more payment for such a momentous task than just being compelled by a simple bet."

Sparks of hope lit in Regina's eyes.

"So what did you have in mind for a name for such a fine steed?"

A slow smile broke over Regina's face. "Fierro."

"Then Fierro he shall be."

The horse whinnied. Regina laughed and patted his neck. "I think he likes it."

"Well, hopefully he'll like his new stall as much as he likes his new name." Emma stretched her now cooling muscles. She was going to be sore in the most glorious way in the morning.

"Back to the palace then, princess?" Regina asked.

Emma looked at the other woman, amused. "Yes, princess, that sounds like a good idea."

Regina's face scrunched slightly. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that title again." She spurred her horse into an unhurried walk.

Emma's horse followed on instinct, knowing the way home and wanting nothing more. "You know if it really bothers you I'll stop with the princess jokes."

Regina shook her head. "It's not uncomfortable per se, just…odd. I thought I'd never be in this position again, nor did I want to be. Now that I am I can't help but thinking that that might be an advantage. People who want power rarely do anything good with it."

Emma hummed thinking it over. "Maybe. I mean I didn't really want anything to do with my title until a few months ago. But now I do want power, but for the right reasons, so perhaps there's at least a partial truth to it somewhere."

"Gods know my mother is the epitome of wanting power and look where that's gotten the kingdom."

"The Dark Kingdom has had more than a few of those rulers."

Regina hummed in agreement, but said nothing more.

Emma allowed the silence for a few minutes, but kept looking at the knight worriedly. Regina too much in her own head never really seemed to be a good thing. Still, she didn't quite know what to do to draw her out.

"So, what are you going to teach me first about wielding a sword?" Emma blurted out. That hadn't really been anything like what she'd wanted to say, but she sort of had to roll with it now. "Am I going to get to slash at one of those practice dummies you guys have out there? That actually looks like a little bit of fun." She mimed the slashing moments she saw some of the guards use.

A smile ghosted across Regina's face. "No, not quite, Emma, a lot comes before you progress to that stage."

Emma groaned. "Why do I have a feeling I won't like a lot of what comes before?"

"Because you're intuitive and also very impatient. One doesn't get good at wielding a sword overnight. A lot of practice involved teaching form and practicing basic moves before anything so glorious as play fighting."

Emma sighed. "Fine, fine, as long as that comes eventually."

Regina looked over at Emma. "It will, and if you approach sword fighting with even a percentage of the energy you put into horse riding you'll get there faster than you think."

"I'll keep that in mind." Emma reached over across the small distance between them and grabbed Regina's hand again. She felt better with the other woman's hand in her own.

Regina squeezed her hand back. They rode back to the palace like that slowly, hands joined. When they reached the stables it was near dark. Emma slipped inside the stable manager's office and made the arrangements for Fierro and then exited to help Regina put the horses away. It was dark by the time they made it back to their rooms with just enough time to change for dinner before they were missed.

Emma thanked every god that there was that dinner that night was actually a rather small family and close friends only affair. Over a week of large dinners for entertaining guests left over from their wedding was trying at best. It would be by no means relaxed, but at least there was no real call for small talk.

They slipped in just as everyone was sitting down. Emma took her seat at her mother's left hand, Regina right beside her. She shivered as her mother's cool gaze swept over her. She could sense the disapproval from five miles away. So, really, it was like any other meal. Emma immediately turned to Regina after a polite nod to her mother. She wasn't going to be the one that broke the silent agreement between them to only talk to one another when they absolutely had to. She may have wanted to reconcile with the woman deep down, but she couldn't give that ground just yet and certainly not in such a public setting. That would make it seem as if she had done something wrong and that's how the story would be spread and she wasn't about to have that.

"So, when are we starting our lessons?" Emma asked Regina. She resisted the urge to bounce up and down in her seat.

Regina smirked as if she knew exactly that Emma was bouncing off the walls inside the confines of her own head. "Day after tomorrow? That will give me a day to talk to the drill sergeant and set up a time for our practices."

Emma nodded. "Sounds good."

"Not that we'll really be needing a large space for a while, but it's better to have everything set up for when we do."

Emma's smile fell just a little. Suffering through the basics was going to bore her out of her mind and make her sorer than she ever wanted to be, she knew. That was how it had been for her first few horseback riding lessons and bow and arrow lessons. But anything really worth doing had such annoying stages, she supposed.

"Yeah, with you as a teacher I think that will come sooner rather than later."

Regina blushed slightly. "Oh, don't think you can charm your way into the more advanced moves, darling. You'll get there when you earn it."

"Hey! I wasn't doing that!" The back of her neck heated up. Ok, so maybe she had been a little, but mostly she just wanted to compliment Regina.

Regina shot her a disbelieving look and turned towards the food that had just been set in front of her. A small smile broke out across her face as she saw that the bowl in front of her was full of spicy vegetable stew. She delicately picked up her spoon and started eating.

Emma felt her insides warm at the little smile on Regina's face. She wanted to know exactly why her wife smiled like that just over a kind of stew. There had to be a story in there somewhere. Maybe it was just as simple as the knight liked that type of stew really well, or maybe it was something more complicated. Regardless, she wanted to know. She really just wanted to know everything. She was beginning to piece together a lot of Regina, but there was still a lot missing and the closer she got to Regina, the more she wanted to know.

"Emma, dear," her mother said to get her attention.

Emma startled out of staring at Regina and turned, slight frown now etching her face. "Yes mother?"

Snow looked between Emma and Regina for a second before continuing. "I have reports that you shirked your duties to go horseback riding."

Emma's frown turned into a full blown scowl. "We shirked nothing, mother. We were simply done with work for the day and decided to go on a ride, that's all."

"That report will take at least half a day's work to complete, you were most assuredly not in the library for half a day."

Regina spoke up. "With all due respect, your majesty, we did get quite a lot of work done in the few hours we were there. Between the two of us we almost have half of the crops of the kingdom done, with how much was grown, where it was grown, and the cost of growing it. If you don't believe such amount of work could be completed in a few hours I do have our notes from today stashed away."

Emma refused to turn her head and shoot the other woman a confused look. She was the one who stashed away the notes. But then again Regina was probably somehow protecting their work from being destroyed by lying. It wouldn't do to call her out and ruin the whole thing.

"And besides, mother, we don't have half a day to spend on one report. If we do it portions at a time then it still gets done in a timely manner without interfering with our schedule of other activities."

"Like horseback riding," her mother accused.

"Like council meetings." Emma gripped her spoon hard. She knew she wasn't near strong enough to bend the metal, but damn it if it didn't feel like she could in that moment.

"Perhaps you should be rid of outside distractions until the report is done." Her mother raised a spoonful of stew up to her mouth carefully.

"It will be done at the latest day after tomorrow," Regina said. The knight's hand grabbed the hand of Emma's that wasn't killing a spoon. Her hand relaxed just a little bit, but not much. "The comparison harvest report hasn't even been complied yet. We must wait for that report to be done before we can truly finish the project anyway. If you wanted the most accurate information, of course, which any self-respecting monarch such as yourself would want the latest, most accurate information."

"Those reports aren't finished until December. It's the end of September now, that's quite a ways away." Snow scowled.

"Yes, mother, but we aren't the people on your council in charge of such things. As large as our crops usually are it would take month to analyze all the data and then write it down." Emma desperately hoped she wasn't crushing Regina's fingers. That wouldn't exactly be romantic, then again neither was a fight with her mother, so really, what was the harm.

"I don't care. What I asked for was that report as soon as possible, not excuses."

"They aren't excuses, they're simple facts. More than enough of that report was done today to constitute a day's work. For a report of that size to be returned to you in three days is phenomenal, none of your other advisors would have even come close to such a time line. Emma and I have put our best efforts into this report, but all work and no play will lead to a burnout and that's beneficial to no one." Regina looked at Snow levelly, face determined, but not outright defiant. Emma wondered how she could control her expression so well, it really was an impressive skill.

"So you say. I don't believe you. Until this report is done you are not to leave the palace walls for anything. Do not think you will be able to use your connections within the guard to get out, if you leave such measures will only be extended."

Emma resisted the urge to lean over the corner of the table and throttle her mother. "That's not fair at all. You wouldn't do such a thing to any of your other advisors. Not only are you putting harsher timelines on us for the project, but bigger punishments for not completing it? That's ridiculous. The most anyone else would have gotten was a dressing down, that's it. Mother, you're taking this too far. Quite frankly I'm tired of you making me feel as if I'm inadequate. I know I'm not, not anymore. I may not be perfect, but I'm working my hardest to prove that I am the princess this kingdom deserves and you act as if I'm doing the exact opposite. I'm tired of it. I'm tired of feeling bad for doing what I know is right. I want you to stop, or at least make some steps towards rectifying this behavior."

She stayed calm the entire time she was speaking, despite her inner turmoil. This was the advice Regina had given her, couching her grievance in the language of feelings and not directly attacking her mother, though she thoroughly wanted to. Emma held her breath after she was done talking to see what her mother would do.

"You feel inadequate? You feel bad? You think you're doing what's right? No, Emma, I know what is right for this kingdom and it's nothing that you are doing. So you should feel as if something is wrong, because it is. You're still a naïve child when it comes to ruling. You care about all the wrong things and none of the right ones. The kingdom only runs in one way and that's how it always has. You have to learn that or this kingdom will eat you alive."

"Those are dangerous words, your majesty, that this is how it's always been done, that breeds mindlessness. What is so wrong about Emma caring about someone other than the nobility? Why would that be anything wrong? You're the shining beacon of good in this realm, enlighten me as to why caring about everyone is wrong? Is it just because that's not how it's been done before? Is that the only reason? Because it if is, what sort of reason is that really?"

Emma was infinitely grateful Regina had spoken up. She was too fucking furious to even think of anything other than her rage. Her mother had just taken everything she was feeling and used them against her. She couldn't even begin to comprehend it.

Her mother sputtered for a few seconds. "What do you know about running a kingdom? You've never done it before. You learned everything from a kingdom that's completely oppressed. You know nothing about how to run such a free kingdom."

"It isn't so hard to figure out that one must do the opposite of whatever my mother did to run a free kingdom. Despite everything else, my mother did run a very efficient kingdom otherwise, your majesty. More than a few of her practices could be put to good use here in such a financially unstable kingdom."

Emma was aware of every eye in the room on them now. The others at the table had fallen silent now that Regina had mentioned her mother, waiting for Snow's response. Emma knew she should stop this before it blew up in Regina's face. Regina's reputation couldn't take any hits right now, but she just sat there.

Snow turned a lovely shade of puce before she spoke again. "How dare you even suggest such horrendous practices be used here!"

"Yes, well, it's the way it's always been done in the Dark Kingdom. Surely it must be the right way to do things." Regina's face remained smooth, but Emma was damn sure on the inside she was smirking.

Her mother started to shake. "You know nothing. Your punishment still stands. You will not leave the palace until your report is done. That is final and is all the more that will be said about the subject unless you would like to prolong this arrangement."

Emma stood swiftly. "If you will excuse me, mother, it seems I'm not quite feeling well. Something rather foul is turning my stomach."

She stepped back from the table and walked quickly from the room. She heard Regina walking behind her, making excuses over her shoulder about how she had to take care of her wife. Emma didn't miss the emphasis Regina put on wife. She smiled just slightly as she stalked into the hall.

She paused in the hall for just a second for Regina to catch completely up with her and started off again. "Sorry, probably not the best course of action there, but if we didn't get out of there I was going to go across the table and throttle her where she stood."

Regina hummed out her agreement.

"So much for couching it in the language of feelings. That went over like a lead weight. Now what, Regina? That was your last idea wasn't it?"

"It was." She sighed. "She's entirely too stubborn for her own good. She thinks she's doing the right thing, but she's decidedly not."

Emma snorted and rolled her eyes. "Well, yeah, that's a little obvious."

"Yes, well, it's hard to convince a zealot that they're wrong. I'm not sure there is a way really. Any evidence she gets to the contrary will only strengthen her beliefs."

"So we'll just have to put up with this for the rest of her life?"

"I'm not sure. If there's any way into her head, I'll keep helping you try to find it."

Emma sidled over and wrapped her arm around Regina's shoulder as they walked. "Thank you. I really don't know what I'd do without you."

Regina smiled softly over at her. "Probably run the kingdom into the ground." She kissed Regina's cheek. "But for a better cause than a royal wedding."

Emma snorted. "Thanks for the faith there."

"Oh, you're welcome."

Emma sighed as she walked into their rooms, shucking her shoes just inside the door. She walked over to the bar by the fireplace and grabbed out a bottle of wine she had shoved inside and two glasses.

"Wine and reading by the fire?"

Regina took the items from her. "Sounds like a good idea."

They settled on the couch, curled up together, drinking and skimming a few books. And despite the fact that she had just gotten into a fight with her mother, Emma felt completely ok. More than ok really. The warmth filling her was comforting. She started to wonder about the feeling, but shook it off. That was for another time, and went back to reading for the night.


	10. Chapter 10

I know y'all are getting sick of Snow's shit, it all has it's purpose, at least I hope, as annoying as it may be. The light at the end of the tunnel is near, I promise that. Also, more importantly, more cute Emma and Regina. That's really why we're all here. Anyway, let the reading commence, enjoy.

* * *

A day later she set the report on her mother's desk. "There you go, mother, the report on the crop yields from a hundred years ago. If you'll excuse me, as I have gotten all of my other duties for the day done I'm going to take a walk through the garden."

She turned and started for the door.

Her mother picked up the report and called out. "I don't think you'll be taking that walk after all."

Emma whipped around and stared at her mother. "And why is that?"

"This isn't the full report."

"It's exactly what you asked for." Emma crossed her arms.

"It's half of what I asked for." Her mother flipped the few pages of the report open and scanned them. "What I asked for was a comparison between a hundred years ago and today. This is only the figures for a hundred years ago. Your work isn't done."

"That's ridiculous!" Emma exclaimed. "Those figures won't be done for another three months! The harvest is still going on in southern parts of the kingdom. It will be a few hours job in a few months to compare the two figures and finish the report. You can't keep us locked up in the palace for that long. It's not our fault that the numbers aren't here for us to use. We aren't the ones who collect them. You can't punish us for something that wasn't tasked to us."

The Queen looked thoughtful for a minute. "The men who collect such data will be in King's Ferry by now. In another week they will be here in the surrounding villages. You will join them when they are here and continue on until all of the data you need is collected. Then you may complete the report I asked you to do in a much more timely manner. A queen needs information as fast as possible, you need to learn this lesson."

Emma started to shake again. It seemed any conversation she had with her mother anymore led to this end. "This isn't life of death information, mother. At best this will be used in trade meetings to bolster our appearance of industry. Trade meetings which will stop in a matter of weeks with the onset of winter. You need this information immediately like I need a hole in my foot."

"You don't know what information I do and do not need immediately. You are not Queen of this kingdom, you best remember that as it seems you've been forgetting."

"I'm not Queen, but I am the heir apparent, it seems you've been forgetting that lately. My entire life I've been taught the ins and outs of politics and running a country. I may not have paid much attention, but I'm a smart girl, mother, some of that information did sink in. Crop reports are only immediately needed information to figure out if the kingdom will starve or not. This is not that sort of report."

Her mother looked down at her desk and started to shuffle around papers again, picking up a few and starting to skim them. "I'll make the arrangements with the men collecting the crop data and the guards. You'll have to take a group of them when you go of course. Everything will be done before then so you may leave on this mission. Of course outside of this mission you won't be able to do anything else. There will be no lollygagging, strictly business only. I'll let you know of the finer details when the plans are finalized. You may go."

Emma didn't know what she wanted to do more, go over the desk and punch her mother, or storm from the room in an all-out rage. Both options had so much promise to make her feel infinitely better. But she didn't. She calmly nodded and turned to go.

"As you wish, your majesty."

She shut the door quietly behind her and fought the urge to scream in the hall until she was back in her own quarters. Regina was sitting on the sofa reading, feet up over the arm. The urge to scream lessened at the cute sight, but she still let out a loud growl. Regina was on her feet in a second, dagger out towards her. When she realized who it was she sheathed it and put it back under the cushion where she kept it. She sat down again, put the book aside and patted the cushion beside her.

Emma walked over and flopped down dramatically. Someday the couch was going to give out under her repeated abuse, but until that day she wasn't going to worry about it. She stayed silent for a few long moments getting her thoughts in order. She really didn't know where to start. The only question she really had anymore was—

"Why is she doing this? I don't understand, Regina. I really don't."

Regina sighed. "I take it that it didn't go well."

Emma shook her head.

She reached over and draped her arms around Emma's shoulders. Emma leaned into the other woman and relaxed, breathing the other woman in. Jasmine soap and sun, she smelled of night and day, a contradiction is there was one, but then again Regina was a contradiction most of the time so it fit.

"I suppose it is because she thinks she's doing right by you, as I've said before."

"It's just hard to accept that when she's trapped us in the palace like some sort of prisoners. That isn't the best for me at all and she knows it."

"You see, I'm not sure she does. I think she sees this as a means to an end."

"What end?"

"She wants you to resent me. I think if you were to leave me right now almost all of her problems would just disappear."

Emma looked up into Regina's eyes. "You really think so?"

Regina nodded. "I do. She thinks I'm bad for you and is willing to do whatever it takes to get rid of me, like some sort of mother bear."

"But I'm not a cub."

"She won't see that, not for a long while, perhaps not truly ever." Regina started to rub her hand up and down Emma's arm.

"How am I not supposed to hate her for all of this?"

"Do you truly hate her?" Regina's hand stopped, waiting for her answer.

"No, but I'm so angry with her I might as well. She's my mother and I can't truly hate her…but it's all just so…" She trailed off.

"I know. I understand."

Emma sighed. "We're trapped here until we finish the report. All of it, with this year's figures."

She felt Regina about to protest so Emma put a finger on the other woman's lips to quiet her. Emma swallowed hard at the feel of soft lips against her finger. Now wasn't the time for kissing. She could do that after she told Regina what was going on.

"In a week the royal record keepers in charge of crop figures will be here. We're to go with them and assist them until the job is done."

Regina's hand tightened on her shoulder enough to hurt slightly. "Your mother is an idiot, but at least the trip will get us out from under her for at least a little while."

"Yeah, but it won't be anything besides work."

"I know, but it's something."

Emma pulled herself up and looked into Regina's eyes. "I really don't care as long as you're with me. That's what matters to me." She brought a hand up to Regina's face, cradling it gently. "All of this is worth it for you."

Regina's smile was radiant. She nuzzled into Emma's hand gently. "I love you." She immediately looked a little startled, as if she hadn't quite meant for the words to slip out, but the panic faded immediately.

Emma leaned forward and kissed her gently. The warmth rose in her again, hotter than before, but never uncomfortable. Perhaps she did know what the warmth was now, but she wasn't quite ready to admit it yet. Soon, but not yet. She knew Regina would understand.

They pulled apart, both a little breathless.

"I know," Emma said quietly. "You thought I was asleep, but I heard you that night days back. Every time I think of what you said I just get so…warm. It's nice."

Regina blushed slightly. "You weren't supposed to hear that."

"I'm glad I did." She kissed Regina's forehead and then settled back into the other woman's arms. "I think about that and what you said about what's between us being ours a lot. It gets me through some days with my sanity intact."

Regina hummed under her. "I think about all of the times you've defended me to your mother, that's what gets me through."

Emma squeezed Regina. "I'd do it a thousand times over for you."

Regina kissed the top of Emma's head. "I'd do the same."

Emma settled in a little more and scrabbled around for the book she'd been reading. She'd done more reading in the last twenty-four hours than she cared to think about. Regina handed the book to her.

"Good," she said opening up her book. "I think we have most married couples beat already then." And settled in to start reading.

* * *

Emma woke up the next morning in Regina's arms. She sighed, content. The early morning light lit up the room just enough so that she could see the other woman's face, relaxed and smooth in her sleep, slight smile on her face. Emma leaned over just a scant inch and laid a gentle kiss on Regina's forehead. She loved waking up like this, wrapped up in the other woman. It was simultaneously exciting and calming be all pressed up against the other woman with nothing but a few thin articles of clothing between them.

She wasn't a fool. She had noticed her looks lingering just a little longer than normal on a few key regions of Regina's body in the last couple weeks. She was well aware of what it meant. It was what the lingering looks tied with the warmth she kept feeling around Regina that had her worried. One she could probably resist until everything fell into place for her and she was ready for what was to come. Both at the same time? She wasn't sure she could manage, especially when her favorite pastime anymore seemed to be being wrapped up in Regina's arms or cuddled together on the couch. Something would have to give soon.

Emma kissed Regina's forehead again. Maybe that wouldn't be so bad, though. She had feelings for the woman beside her, that she couldn't deny even if she wasn't quite ready to define what sort of feelings just yet. Maybe something giving would force her to get everything together. She wasn't sure she ever would on her own. Not that she didn't want to, she was just…afraid. What if Regina turned out to be just like her mother and didn't think she wasn't enough? What would she do then? She'd have almost no one left.

Under her Regina yawned and squeezed Emma too her. "It's early, Emma. We don't have anywhere to be other than the council meeting today. Go back to sleep," Regina mumbled, just barely intelligible.

"As you wish, my knight." Emma snuggled back into the bed and Regina, laying her head down in the crook of Regina's neck, breathing her in. The smell of the other woman lulled her to sleep slowly. All the dark thoughts from just a minute before were driven from her mind, replaced by thoughts of racing horses and smiles. As long as her mother kept up with the same treatment, they would have a great deal of time to sort things out one way or another. Regina had been there for her every step of the way, it wouldn't change now. And with those thoughts she relaxed just enough to fall back asleep.

* * *

The sun was much higher when they both woke within minutes of each other. Regina smiled down at her as Emma blinked her eyes open. She stretched, disentangling just slightly from the other woman to do so. She let out a loud groan at how good it felt and sat up.

If Regina's eyes were a little darker after the display, well Emma wasn't going to bring it up.

"Morning," Emma said, voice still scratchy.

"Good morning, my love."

Emma smiled at the other woman with a smile so wide it actually hurt. "I like that."

Regina gave a hesitant smile back. "Really?"

"Really." She said it as seriously as she could with a smile peeking through. She was infinitely glad that she got to wake up with this woman every day for the rest of her life.

"I was a little worried that…" she trailed off and shook her head. "Never mind, it doesn't matter."

"That it would freak me out? Legitimate concern since you didn't want to pressure me into feeling anything for you." She looked the other woman dead in the eye. "But it doesn't freak me out. Someone who loves me for me is the last thing that would freak me out now. It's comforting."

Emma reached out and cupped the other woman's cheek. She was always amazed at how soft it was. She wondered how Regina managed it with the years of being a guard. Her mind darted to the thought of whether the rest of Regina's skin was so soft, but she cleared that away quickly. Emma drew Regina into a kiss, relishing the taste of the other woman's lips, almost citrus-y in a way. It reminded her of the summer palace and the summers she spent there as a child, drunk on sun and sticky fruit. Now she was sure Regina's lips had the exact same effect.

She drew back, blinking a few times to clear her head. "There are plenty of reasons to freak out, and none of them have to do with you. And I can't make promises, but I hope they never will."

Regina looked at her, eyes warm and loving. "You're an amazing woman sometimes, you know that? I never thought I'd say that, but you are. In such a short time you've went from a spoiled princess to a woman worthy of a kingdom." She tucked a piece of hair behind Emma's ear. "And so much more." She kissed Emma this time, fleetingly.

"All I want is to be worthy of love." The blonde looked down, biting her lip.

"You always have been."

The words hit Emma like a gut punch. She couldn't quite get a breath. As scary as the feeling was it felt…good in a way. It was so odd, but it was like she needed to hear those words so badly it had physically affected her when she had.

"So have you," Emma got out when she finally caught another breath.

Regina smiled, that open smile that Emma was beginning to realize was saved only for her. They stayed frozen like that smiling for a long moment before Regina looked past Emma towards the windows. She frowned just a bit before pulling herself from bed.

"We should start getting ready. The meeting will be soon."

Emma got up and started padding towards her dresser. Pants and a loose shirt would do today, she thought. She had nowhere special to be.

"You can tell the time by one quick glance out the window?

"It's not that hard, it's all in the angle of the sun beams on the floor."

"You have to teach me. Sounds like it would come in handy."

"It does and I will."

Emma smiled and slipped into her favorite pair of leather pants, worn just enough to be supple and soft. "You're teaching me a lot lately."

Regina just chuckled. "I don't mind, you're a good student. Most of the time."

Emma snorted and pulled on the shirt. "I try.

She helped Regina into her dress and soon they were off to the day's council meeting.

* * *

"Different day, same idiots," Emma whispered to Regina as they walked out of the room. She looked down at the new pile of papers in arms and scoffed. Yet another assignment that was below her. But at least this one could be done in a day at most. At this point anything to take up time was appreciated, even if it was stupid. Being trapped in the palace wasn't good for Emma. Even in winter she managed to go outside for at least a short walk every day. She was always chided as a girl by her nurse for such practices, especially when she ended up sick because of it. But she loved the outdoors so she persisted anyway.

Regina hummed her agreement. She linked her arm through Emma's and pressed into her side. "To the library then?" she asked.

"Yup, planned on it, even if the guards or the servants would have gone straight to my mother if we didn't." Emma glanced over her shoulder and saw at least three sets of eyes avert to the next closest object. "Amazing what loyalty a regular paycheck will buy."

"Yes, well, it's that and a healthy dose of fear and respect. Your mother could literally have them killed no questions asked. Would you go against someone like that?"

Emma shook her head. "No, but being who I am it's quite hard to picture myself in that situation sometimes."

Regina looked at Emma. "Is it really? After all your mother has done?"

She bit the inside of her lip. Regina had a point. "In a way, yes, because it's never been me in danger, but on the flip side my mother could also threaten a servant's family and that I can picture vividly. I don't blame them for following orders, after all it's what they're employed to do…it's just fickle loyalty even for good reasons is hard for me to understand."

"When you have less to lose than everyone else I suppose it would be." Regina shrugged.

Emma scowled. "I wouldn't say less, different things to lose, yes. You've been on both sides Regina, you should know."

"I have, and that's why I say less. Yes, different does apply, but it is still less, at least from your mother. You may lose your freedom, but more than that? Not really. You won't lose your life, you won't lose the ones you love."

"What about you? Mother's been trying to get rid of you since the day I declared to the council that I was continuing with the marriage."

"I'm the exception to the rule then. But most of the servants here have many people they care about back home. It's a case of one versus many. It's still less."

"I suppose you're right. I don't want it to be like that, though. I want nothing to do with that sort of fear. Of course punishments are still necessary, but they should match the crime. Disobeying an order shouldn't have the possibility of death hanging over everyone's head."

Regina squeezed her arm. "Yes, well, you're the first monarch in every kingdom to think such a thing." Regina looked at Emma again, studying her face intently. "You'll be a great ruler someday."

Emma smiled at the other woman. "So will you."

They continued down the hall for a minute afterwards, quietly in their own thoughts. Regina drew them to a stop just around the corner from the library. Emma looked at the other woman questioningly and the expression only deepened when Regina started laughing.

"Of course," the brunette said after a few seconds.

"Of course?" Emma echoed, still wholly confused.

"Emma, we're both quite dreading this trip outside the palace walls, right?"

"In a way yes, the royal record keepers are all men who think they're better than everyone else. I wasn't really looking forward to spending so much time with them. Though the whole being outdoors thing doesn't bother me. I just wish that we were allowed to do something other than work. It's such a great opportunity and we can't take it to do anything."

Regina lit up. "That's just it, we can."

"How? Mother's watch hawks will be with us?"

"Emma, what do most peasants do for a living?"

"Farm, why?" She was so lost in this. It was like Regina was on another planet and she had to find her just walking around shouting the other woman's name.

"Our work will be to go from farm to farm and ask about yields, who says that at the same time we can't ask everyone we come across the changes that they'd like to see in the kingdom? The peasants would have more of a say that way. By no means would it be all of them, but it would be enough."

It all snapped into place in an instant for Emma. She started bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Regina, you're brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! I could kiss you right now!" Emma looked at the knight for a moment before deciding the hell with it and leaning in, pecking the other woman on the lips. There would definitely have to be a better kiss later out of sight from prying eyes. "It's exactly what I really wanted this trip to be. Oh gods, maybe it won't actually be too bad after all."

Regina chuckled. "I wouldn't go that far, but it does vastly improve the outlook."

"If only all of mother's plans ended up turning out more in our favor."

"I'm not sure about that, but we can always hope." Regina squeezed Emma's arm again. "Now what do you say we go do this assignment and move on to other more important things." She tugged Emma forward.

"Do you think we should come up with a list of questions to ask everyone or should we just fly off the cusp? One seems more genuine and friendly while the other one gives us a consistent set of data to refer back to."

"Perhaps a mixture of both, darling. We could always start off just talking and then lead in with the questions or vice versa, whichever works better."

"I think the questions should come first. They could lead to other questions that need to be asked but we haven't written down, more problems could be solved that way I think."

Regina nodded and pushed open the door to the library. "Yes, maybe. We could always try both ways and see what works best for us. Gods know the farmers will just be glad that they have to deal with us instead of the royal record keepers."

"Yes, definitely. How those guys don't get stabbed with a pitchfork I'll never know." Emma snorted.

"From what I've heard there have been a few of them that have. By women. It's a good tactic actually, a man will hardly ever admit he's been bested by a woman like that."

Emma busted out laughing. "Oh my gods, can I give every single one of them an award?"

"Perhaps that wouldn't be a good move, darling. The record keepers do serve a purpose even if they are complete asses." But despite the words Regina was still smirking.

"Fair enough, I'll just be secretly pleased then." She thought for a moment. "Could we replace the record keepers without their being a stir? Or at least add some that aren't complete gits? I know it takes training, but there are surely some peasants that could learn quickly enough. I hate that the only options for jobs for them at the palace are maids, cooks, or guards, not that we don't need people to fill those positions, but for the most part there's no possibility of advancement."

Regina bit her lip. "Perhaps, all of those lower official positons are filled by nobles with little influence and of lower titles. Those in the higher ranks see them barely higher than the peasants themselves, so it's unlikely they could pull a few allies together and make our lives difficult. It will depend on the political climate of the time, of course, but that's much more possible than the council."

Emma smiled. "Well, not exactly a sweeping change, but definitely something. I'll take it."

"Sweeping change is never quite as sweeping as it sounds. Crawling change would be much more accurate. There's always someone in your way when you want to change things drastically and it takes a while to get by them only to come up to another obstacle later."

"So I'm beginning to see." Emma sighed.

"Yes, well, we'll work hard for it. I have no doubt that by the end of your reign more than a few sweeping changes will have happened." Regina drew Emma to their favorite library couch and sat them down.

"You mean the end of our reign, because you're the only reason I have any idea how to do any of this."

"You're learning, faster than you realize. You don't see it, but you've begun to stand on your own."

"I don't think so. I still rely on you an awful lot." Emma signaled to the librarian to come over. She would know where in the gods names the books would be on ancient kingdom laws dealing with trade tariffs from a country they hadn't traded with in three hundred years. It was an annoying assignment, but if her mother was really thinking about trading with the other kingdom again then at least it would bring more money to the kingdom so she couldn't grumble too much. If her mother wasn't planning on trading, though…that was another matter.

"Less and less is it relying on me and more asking my opinion on things and helping you weigh the pros and cons. We're becoming more of an equal team, as all married couples should be."

Emma smiled warmly at the other woman. "Well, even if I'm not quite sure I believe you, I'm quite fond of that last part." She squeezed Regina's hand.

"How may I help you, your highnesses?" The librarian interrupted their little moment.

Emma broke apart from Regina and smiled at the old woman with glasses. "Elise, do you happen to know where I can find a book on obscure trade tariff laws?"

The old woman blustered that she knew where every single book in the library was and what it contained as she always did. She fetched exactly what Regina and Emma needed within minutes and they set to work, curled up on the couch comfortably.


	11. Chapter 11

And here we have a little less Snow fuckery and a little more Emma and Regina, always a plus, I know. Enjoy.

* * *

Emma took a deep breath and tried to contain her anger yet again. She kept repeating that it was servants' duty to follow a queen's orders, but that wasn't quite working. Not when her plans to help peasants everywhere were foiled at least for now. She walked out of her mother's office yet again, fuming. Helping the peasants would only lead to her downfall as a ruler she said. The peasants were fine as they were, she said. She was wrong. The peasants managed to live as they were, but they could thrive if only the monarchs would let them.

But her mother wouldn't let them. Wouldn't even let Emma ask them what suggestions for improvement they had. Now on their trip with the royal record keepers they were to stay well away from the peasants, back at camp if there was one, with the main caravan if there wasn't. She felt like screaming. It was always one step forward and two steps back anymore. It was maddening.

She needed to go outside. She needed it more than she could articulate. But there was no way that she could. Servants were everywhere that would run straight to her mother and there was no way that she was giving away the secret passage to the garden. Her mother didn't know about it and she planned to keep it that way. So instead she went straight for the next best thing.

Regina was on their floor in a loose white shirt and black tights doing a set of sit ups. She stopped and grabbed her knees when Emma walked in. Sweat covered her brow and the rest of her body in a thin sheen and she was just a little breathless.

Emma stopped and swallowed for a moment. Oh. Something stirred in the pit of her stomach seeing Regina like this, but she shook it off. Now was not the time.

"Being banned from being outside in the practice yards is affecting my endurance," Regina said to break the small silence. "I'm not quite a fan, thus this." She waved to herself.

"Makes sense." She sighed.

Regina was off the floor in a second and at her side. "Your mother did something." It wasn't even a question anymore, but a statement.

Emma walked to the cart of refreshments that was always kept in her chambers and poured herself a glass of wine. "Of course. Some servants reported our conversation about asking the peasants what needed fixed and of course she forbade it."

Regina let out a slow breath. "Of course."

"We're to stay at camp or with the caravan at all times."

"Times like these I quite miss the punching bag down in the yards."

Emma snorted. "I think I would too if I knew how to fight."

"You'd have beaten it to dust by now if you did."

Emma laughed despite the anger. "Yeah, I guess I would've." She turned back to Regina. "What now?"

Regina walked over to the sideboard and fixed herself a drink as well, wiping the sweat on her brow off with the back of her hand. She took a long sip before pulling back and frowning. Her free hand found Emma's and pulled her towards the couch. Once she settled them both down, Regina wrapped around Emma this time she stared contemplatively into the fire.

Emma enjoyed threading her fingers through Regina's hair in this position. Usually it was her wrapped around the other woman, and that was just as good as this position was, but it was good in different ways. She felt like for once she was the one protecting Regina instead of the other way around. She loved the feeling. She loved resting her chin on the other woman's head, loved the way Regina nestled into her. It was lovelier than words could describe.

Regina spoke slowly after a long while. "Your mother has us confined to camp…but I don't necessarily think that that ends our little side mission. It limits it, but there should be a way to continue."

Emma's brow scrunched, confused. "How? We won't be there to ask the questions, how can we possibly continue?"

Regina sat silent for another few seconds. "You didn't go through and interview every candidate for the tournament, did you?"

"Well, no, of course not." Emma pulled back and looked at the other woman. Wherever this was going she had no idea what it had to do with the tournament. "It wasn't exactly the ideal situation, but it worked well enough in the end." She squeezed Regina a little tighter to her.

Regina sunk into her that much more and went on. "We don't have to be there either, we just have to make a list of questions to ferret out the information we need."

"What information do we need though? We just wanted suggestions for improvement of the kingdom in regard to the peasants. There's not much specific to that that we can come up with a list of questions for. Everyone is going to have a different answer. A farmer is going to want a lower portion of his crop taken by the crown, a cobbler is going to want to pay less taxes, a cart driver is going to want a standardized road system. How do we come up with something that covers all of those people when we're only talking to one type of person? Not that farmers don't make up a majority of our population, but in order for us to grow as a kingdom that might not always need to be true. We need more people in trades and more scholars, inventors, doctors. We need better farming methods to make sure that even with all these people leaving the world of farming there's enough to feed the kingdom. How does this boil down to one question?"

"It needn't be just one question."

Emma shook her head. "No, it has to be. The farmers will already be irritated at all the other questions, they won't want to answer more. Make it too long and we won't get thoughtful answers. I say three at most, but one would be better."

Regina bit her lip in thought. "Fair enough."

"And besides, how are we going to get this question out to the peasants anyway? We aren't going with the record keepers, we won't see the people, how are we going to trick them into doing it for us?"

Regina smirked and looked up at Emma. "They have a set list of questions they must ask, right?"

Emma nodded. "Of course, it keeps the information they get consistent as possible."

"They aren't coming to the palace are they?"

Emma shrugged, jostling Regina just slightly. She frowned at her carelessness and went back to combing her fingers through Regina's hair. It was still slightly damp from her workout, but it smelled of jasmine so Emma wasn't quite worried about it. "I'm not sure, I don't think so, but mother hasn't confirmed the details about our trip yet."

"If they don't who's to say that your mother didn't send a new set of questions, completely the same except our questions will be at the end. We'll get our answers as we're analyzing the data and just keep them for our own personal record instead of letting them be logged into the kingdom's records."

"But what if they do come to the palace? Then they'll know that my mother sent no such thing to them."

Regina rubbed the back of her neck. "I can think of a few ways that might work, but they all involve getting servants in on our plan in one way or another, and we cannot have that. They don't have the protection that you or even I do."

"Of course." Emma cocked her head to the side. "But she will have to give them some sort of missive. Regina, you said a while back that you managed to steal for food before you found the witch who trained you, do you think you could put those old skills to use? You could slip the paper into whatever folio my mother gives them and they'd never be any the wiser."

Regina hummed, face scrunched. "It could work, but it's been years since I actually stole anything. An attempt now might be clumsy enough to get noticed. I wasn't exactly so good at stealing when I had to all those years ago."

Emma sighed. "Last resort then? We still have time to think of another plan, but let's just hope they don't come to the palace, but we come to them. I know my mother will call me into her office before we leave if that's the case to pound the rules of the trip that much harder and lay down the consequences if I don't follow them. It wouldn't be unbelievable that she'd give me something for the record keepers at the end of such a meeting."

Regina nodded into Emma's side, chin digging in just a little painfully. "True enough, let's just hope your mother doesn't tell them that any orders from you are invalid. She shouldn't, but she's done more foolish things than that in the past few weeks."

Emma snorted. "You can say that again. On this downward trajectory she's been on, gods only know what her next move will be."

"Yes, well, let's hope her trajectory stabilizes out sometime soon."

"You can say that again." Emma took a deep breath. "But that still leaves us with what the question will be?"

Regina pursed her lips. "With only one question there's the dilemma of do you make it broad or specific. Specific could address the problems of the farmers, and thus most of the population, but broad could address many people but the suggestions might not be as well thought out. People know about specific details about problems to be fixed when they encounter them in their everyday lives. They may even have solutions if that's the case. And while peasants don't know much about governing, all it takes is a seed of a good idea to spark something great." Regina made a frustrated sound. "It's a ridiculous choice to make."

"Is there any way to put it somewhere in the middle of specific and broad?"

"There may be, yes, but questions on both extremes are easier to come up with."

"Of course." Emma fell silent for a short moment. "If we have to go for one of the two extremes then I vote for broad. We may get less specific stuff, but like you said all it takes is a seed of a good idea to set something off. We only need seeds, we don't need the whole plant just yet. It should be our job to grow it anyway. We're the ones who know how to govern and how to get around the obstacles that go with that. Well, sort of." Emma rubbed her hands over her face.

"Your reasoning makes sense, darling." Regina started to make absentminded circles on Emma's stomach with her thumb. "Something like what would you change about the kingdom, then?"

Emma's face scrunched. "I don't know, of course that's what first comes to mind, but it doesn't really click with me. Everyone has petty grievances about how the kingdom is run and that's just a wide open opportunity to complain about them. While some of them are well founded I think many of them would just be ridiculous. You can't keep cutting taxes while wanting to increase spending on law enforcement in the kingdom. It's absurd."

"We'll get complaints like that no matter what question we ask, darling." Regina looked up at Emma from the blonde's chest.

"I know, but that one somehow seems like it would be worse for some reason. I have no idea why. It just, something just seems off to me."

"What do you propose then?"

Emma brought her hand up to her chin, tracing her lips absently. "We have to get people to think beyond themselves somehow. How to do it though…" she trailed off.

They both sat in silence for a while, curled around each other. The warm weight of Regina was both distracting and focusing. Emma didn't mind at all. It was nice just being. Moments like this made her feel like they were a real married couple who had married out of love and not out almost obligation. Emma gave into the urge to kiss the woman below her, restraining herself to a kiss on the head for now. She pulled her lips away from Regina's sweet smelling hair and gasped.

"What?" Regina asked, sitting up immediately, looking around the room. She looked back and Emma confused when she didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

"Sorry, I just, I had an idea."

Regina raised her eyebrow in question, but didn't say anything.

"It's just, to get someone to think beyond themselves there's usually one sure fire way, to ask about their kids. What if the question was what would you change about the kingdom to make it better for your children? I mean, it's not perfect, but."

The brunette tilted her head slightly. "I think it will do."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Emma smiled brightly, refusing to bounce up and down like a small child no matter how much she truly wanted to. Regina was on top of her and she didn't want to jostle the other woman. She might move then and Emma really didn't want that either.

"Alright then, we have our question. Now how do we get the list of questions we have to add it to and the royal stationary it's on? Mother's is different than mine and fathers." A thought occurred to her. "Oh, a stationary should probably be crafted for you as well now that you're an official part of the royal family. I'll go to Clarice in the next couple of days."

A slow smile spread across Regina's face. "And that's how you'll get your mother's stationary. She'll surely have some somewhere."

Emma could have slapped herself on the forehead. Of course. "But I'll have to dig around for it probably. You can't just keep royal stationary out in the open."

"No, but perhaps you could persuade her that since you're already there you can take the latest box back to your mother."

Emma bit her lip. "I can try. It may not work, though, she's good at what she does. Anything written on royal stationary is much like a law, or at least very binding."

"As it should be, but you as Princess will have less trouble than anyone else."

Emma nodded. "Yeah, but we'll have to come up with something else as a backup. I'll go tomorrow after I drop off our report on trade tariffs. Or no, before, that way I'll have some sort of proof that I'm going straight to mother's office. It won't be much, but something to back up the story is better than nothing. And since I'm going on an official errand, mother can't very well stop me, an excuse about going to pick up stationary so I can get more work done should suffice nicely."

"Of course. And perhaps the library has old copies of what the questions for the record keepers were. If not we could perhaps reverse engineer the questions from the information gathered."

"That will take time. We leave in less than a week, how are we going to manage all of this?" Worry started to buzz in the back of Emma's head. This plan depended on quite a few things going right, and while there were always contingency plans, they might not have time to come up with one, let alone execute one. If only her mother had cooperated this would be so much easier.

"We have quite a bit of free time if you remember. If we start tomorrow and work until it's time to leave we should be able to pull everything together."

"Are you sure?" Emma looked into Regina's eyes and hoped she'd see the right answer in them.

"Not at all, but it's rather better to try, don't you think?"

"Absolutely."

Regina pulled herself out of Emma's arms and stood from the couch. "Good, then we should be well rested for the days ahead. I have a feeling sleep will not be easy to come by in the next few days." She pulled Emma up with her and led them both towards their bedroom.

* * *

Emma walked into Clarice's shop, head held high. She'd need to sell this with confidence for everything to work in their favor. Clarice was a clever woman, she had to be to maintain a business in such a hostile climate towards women. But she was the best at what she did and was smarter than she ever let on, it was what had gotten her into her mother's good graces and had allowed her business to thrive.

The middle aged woman emerged from the back as the bell over the door stopped ringing. She smiled widely at Emma, brushing the wrinkles out of her apron and dress. She stepped around the counter and curtsied before drawling Emma into a hug.

"Good afternoon, princess, what brings you here?" Clarice asked, drawling back.

Emma smiled back at the other woman. Of all the craftsmen and women who came to the palace, Clarice had always been her favorite. She really did feel bad about having to do this to her, but it would help people in the long run. Her mother would never miss one single piece. She would never be the wiser if this went off without a hitch.

"Regina, my wife, needs her own stationary now that she's a princess of the kingdom. I heard that you might be the place to come for such things."

The older woman's face lit up. She swept her graying light brown hair from her face and bustled back behind the counter. She rustled around for a moment before pulling out a piece of paper and setting it down and went back to digging again.

Emma walked over at looked at the paper she'd set down. It was her own personal stationary. A swan replaced where her mother had a cluster of the snow drops from which she'd gotten her name and her father had a lion in the top left hand corner. The rest of the paper was the same for all of them, the top covered in swirls of white and gold, the colors of the kingdom, and the royal crest in the white corner. She traced the swirls lightly. She always had liked the look of it. Clarice was truly good at her job.

Clarice came back to the counter with a blank piece of rather plain paper. "So tell me about your wife then. Perhaps something will strike my fancy for a design. She was the Black Knight in the tournament, yes?"

"Yes, she was." Emma smiled warmly at the memory now. It had been such a shock, but all she felt now at the image of Regina fighting for her was warmth.

"I heard it was a good fight, her last one, wasn't there myself, but word does travel quickly. The man she was fighting gets bigger every time, I swear."

Emma laughed. She was sure he was at least nine feet tall by now in all the time that had passed since the tournament. "Well, Regina is quite strong, but I bet even she would have quite the tough time with a nine foot man. I can't imagine, though, that such a large man would be very coordinated."

"No, I suppose not." The woman's eyes were dancing merrily. "Tell me more, I know of the brave knight, but there must be much more to a woman like that. It's not every day that someone enters a contest knowing her life might be at risk."

Emma scrunched her eyes. She thought that no one outside the palace knew that Regina was ever in danger of death.

"It's not hard to figure out, Princess. Your mother is a kind woman, to a point. You are that point. And besides, word does travel even if you think it won't."

Emma nodded. "Yeah, well, she did it so I could choose my own suitor instead of having one forced on me. I chose her. She's an amazing woman, Clarice."

"I'll meet her when I bring her her stationary, see if she passes muster."

"She will. She's brave, cunning, kind, everything a good princess should be and everything that a good knight should be as well and somehow it works for her even though those two things are so wholly different."

"Tell me, her sword, where did she get it? I've heard stories about it as well."

"It was a gift from her father. He's the one who advocated for her first sword lessons back in her old kingdom."

"The Dark Kingdom."

Emma nodded even though it wasn't a question.

"Important to her?"

"Extremely. It's the one thing she's managed to keep from childhood."

Clarice nodded. "What does she do in her free time?"

"Read, exercise in the yards, ride horses, go on walks with me in the garden. She's always teaching me about politics even when we aren't in council meetings. She draws a little, but she always puts it away when I come in, so I don't think I'm really supposed to know about that."

"Any pets?"

"Well, I did just give her a horse. Well, not really give so much as just took him off the roster of horses available to anyone. She named him Fierro."

"On your walks in the garden, does she have a favorite flower?"

Emma titled her head. She couldn't quite place if Regina had gravitated towards any flower out of the mass that made up the garden proper, or her own private garden.

"Not that I can remember, but she always uses the soap made out of jasmine, so that may be it."

The woman started to sketch immediately. Quickly lines appeared on the paper and Emma watched entranced as a sword started to form. That had been obvious to her, Regina should have a sword on her stationary, but since she wasn't the one making it she wasn't going to dictate. She was glad that Clarice had agreed with her silent assessment, though. Around the now fully formed sword a garland of flowers was weaving around it. Emma waited for a few seconds before smiling. Jasmine flowers now wrapped around the hilt and blade loosely.

Clarice pushed the design forward. "Something like this?"

"I think that will do just nicely."

Clarice smiled. "Good, good, give me a few days. I'll bring it to her."

"Alright." She paused for a second, wondering just how to launch into her proposal. She couldn't launch into it by pointing out that she didn't usually let anyone else deliver her stationary, that would plant the seed of denial before she had even begun. Perhaps just a casual mention of her taking it would be best. The less she said the better.

"Clarice, I'm heading right to my mother's office right after this if you have any stationary that needs delivered to my mother. I'd be glad to take it with me."

The woman smiled, but her eyes gone much cooler. "No, Princess, thank you for the offer, but I'll be at the palace in a few days to deliver your mother's next shipment of stationary along with the rest of the nobles in the palace."

Emma nodded immediately. She could fight the decision she knew, but it would look suspicious. If such things got back to her mother she would only increase the amount of eyes on her and make the plan that much more difficult.

"Ok, just thought I'd offer." She shrugged and took a step back from the counter.

"Kind of you, your highness, but stationary is a sensitive thing, as you well know."

"Of course, of course, you wouldn't be where you are today if you had lax practices." She nodded again.

"Exactly."

Emma stared at the woman awkwardly for a second before clearing her throat. "I'll look forward to seeing you in a few days then with Regina's paper." She turned slightly towards the door.

"Will you be needing any of your own stationary, your highness?"

Emma shook her head. "No, mother doesn't exactly give me many occasions for which I would need to use my stationary for any official capacity and personal doesn't quite use much. The only person I'd write to lives with me."

The woman's smile had a little more warmth to it this time. "I understand. In a few days' time then."

Emma inclined her head and exited the shop at what she hoped was a normal pace. Damn. That had not gone to plan at all. They had nothing now, nothing at all. She only hoped that Regina had had more luck finding the questions than she had getting the stationary. If Regina got the questions then at least they would be somewhere. If not, it was back to square one and Emma didn't like that a bit. A little less than a week and their time ran out. She walked a little quicker back to the palace.


	12. Chapter 12

For those of you anxiously waiting for something a little less...innocent to happen between our two leading ladies, here's something to tide you over. Also, literally everything I know about forging handwriting is from White Collar, so if you see a few similarities in this chapter, that would be why. So, enjoy guys.

* * *

Regina sat down beside her on their couch. Emma jerked her head up and looked at the other woman, gasping a little. Sometimes the knight moved much too quietly for the good of Emma's heart. She put the council notes she'd been reading aside and looked back at the brunette. There was a smug smile on her face as she brandished a piece of paper dramatically before slapping it down on the coffee table in front of them.

Emma quickly sat forward and grabbed up the paper as soon as Regina's hand was gone. She smiled at she saw the words in front of her. It was her mother's stationary, dated a few years before. Her smile grew brighter at the date. As far as she was aware they hadn't changed the record keepers' questions since, so the questions in front of her should be current. The breath left her lungs in a rush as she sighed in relief. Today hadn't been a complete waste.

"How'd you even get this?" Emma asked.

"The librarian is well used to our odd requests by now. It didn't take much to ask her for the copies of the questions the royal record keepers have been using for the last hundred years." Regina shrugged. "After that it was easy to just go to the front of the file and grab out the first sheet. The hardest part was staying there actually looking like I was doing some sort of work. I ended up reading quite a few of them just to sell it. Did you know a hundred years ago this kingdom was warm enough to actually grow millet? Hard to imagine now. Then I just slipped the paper we needed into my things when she wasn't looking."

Emma almost laughed. The other woman seemed almost giddy about her success. Well, as truly giddy as Regina ever really got. She thought it was entirely endearing.

She set down the paper on the table again and sat back. "It is strange." She swallowed before going on. "I'm glad you had more luck today than I did."

Regina looked over at her, face shifting from a smile to concern. "You didn't get the stationary?"

Emma shook her head. "No, I told you that she's a good business woman and that there was a chance I'd be denied. Well, the chance was bigger than I thought it would be."

"Well, we'll just have to think of something else then." Regina sighed.

"Yeah, I guess. Though it's not like we can just break into my mother's office and steal a piece. She locks it when she's not in there and there are guards and servants everywhere watching our every move."

Regina bit her lip. "They are watching our every move, but they aren't watching everyone else's…" she trailed off.

Emma tilted her head, confused. "Of course, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"I didn't actually have a set of black knight armor just lying around for the tournament. That was my regular armor morphed into a different appearance. Perhaps I can do the same to my person. If I look like someone else no one will bother me. And if they look for the person they'll never find me because I'll be back to looking like myself again."

"I'm not sure I like that plan." Emma pursed her lips. "I know you know more about magic than I do, but it seems like changing an inanimate object's appearance is a lot different than a person's. I don't want you to harm yourself for this plan. There will be other opportunities if this one falls through I'm sure. It's worth the wait if you're fine and healthy."

"I can be careful, Emma. I started out small with the armor, I can start out small with this too."

She frowned, sensing that this was as good as she was going to get from the other woman. "Fine, but the second it hurts you, you stop and we try something else, ok?"

Regina nodded. "It's a deal."

Emma sat in silence for a while, keeping more to her side of the couch than she would normally. She was a little mad at the other woman for wanting to risk herself unnecessarily, but she really didn't want to storm off or make a bigger deal out of it. She didn't want a full blown fight nor did she want to be alone. The side of the couch would have to do.

Regina for her part seemed lost in thought. Her magic was swirling around her fingers lazily, sparks of purple-gold dancing like they'd had a little too much wine. She didn't seem to notice Emma's partial withdraw for the moment.

Though Emma didn't miss that Regina's magic would jump towards her every now and again, fizzling out somewhere in the middle of the two of them. She wanted to move forward and catch one of these sparks, or at least try to. She wasn't quite sure that those sparks were really tangible. Magic was so ephemeral in and of itself. Its effects were what was truly lasting. She couldn't help but wonder just why Regina's magic was trying to go towards her. They weren't truly connected in any way. Why would her magic want to seek Emma out?

She bit the inside of her lip and didn't say anything about it. They had more important things to think about. She'd point it out to Regina once everything had settled down again.

"What happens when we actually get the stationary, though?" Emma asked, throwing thoughts of magic aside for the moment.

"What do you mean?" Regina looked over at Emma, sparks of magic dying now that her concentration was broken.

Emma immediately missed the sparks, but she couldn't put a finger on why. Sure they were pretty, but what did that really have to do with anything. "I mean, we'll have the stationary and the questions, but we won't have the questions on the stationary, at least not in my mother's hand. Anyone who has eyes can tell my mother's and my writing apart, same for yours. In order for this to be believable it has to at least look mostly like my mother's writing if not exactly the same. Neither of us can really do that."

Regina smirked at Emma. "But one of us can."

"How? Magic?"

"Oh no," Regina shook her head. "though I'm sure it could be if you knew what you were doing. I know how to copy someone else's hand, especially since I have the exact words I need to write right here." She gestured at the paper on the table.

"How?" Emma asked again.

Regina reached out and turned the paper upside down. "If I turn it upside down like this it takes the focus more off the letters and words and puts more on the shape of how it's written. Thus, I'll be able to recreate your mother's writing. The trickiest part will be when I need to write the final question, but hopefully by then I'll have gotten used to your mother's writing style enough to make a good go at it. Of course, practice makes perfect."

"You're going to try and morph yourself and practice how to copy mother's writing? Isn't that a little much, even for you? I can help at least with the writing part."

Regina bit her lip. "You could, but this is something I've already done before. Back when I lived in the Dark Kingdom I got quite good at copying my mother's hand using this trick. It would be quicker for me."

"But if you're torn in two different directions you could end up hurting yourself changing your appearance."

Regina thought that over for a long moment. "Perhaps you're right. But if I have to stop I'll take over or if I master it early on same thing."

Emma nodded. "Alright." She sighed. "That takes care of a lot, but I can't help but feel we're missing so much."

"We are, were this a military plan I'd never use it, but death isn't involved here."

"Treason involves death."

"She won't kill you."

Emma sat forward and grabbed Regina's hands. "Yeah, but that doesn't cover you."

"No, but I'm betting your mother would rather cover up the plan we're trying to execute than draw attention to us. An execution of a traitor would draw quite a bit of attention, and she could change the story all she wanted, the truth would get out eventually."

She rubbed her forehead, trying to get rid of a headache that was coming on. "How about we just don't get caught? How about everything just goes right for once? I'd be ok with that."

Regina laughed once. "I think we both would."

Emma scooted the rest of the way across the couch and into Regina's arms again. She wasn't happy with her still, but she wanted the other woman's comfort. Talk of death made her more nervous than she really let on.

When Regina started up playing with her magic again, Emma felt it. It was hot against her skin, but not unpleasant, like the sun on a late summer day. It danced on her skin before sinking in, warming her from the inside out, sending little shivers of feeling through every part of her body. Her eyes fluttered closed. It felt absolutely heavenly and so very intimate. She couldn't imagine that sex was any more intimate than the magic. It felt like a part of Regina was inside her.

It took every part of her to draw back. If she stayed in Regina's arms like that it would lead to sex and as much as she had been thinking about it in brief moments before she shook the thoughts away, she wasn't ready for the next step. But the loss of Regina now that magic had danced across her skin was a little too much.

"Regina," she said, voice lower than in had been a few minutes before.

Regina turned to look at her, eyes questioning.

"Can you stop the magic for now? It's, um, kind of affecting me." Her eyes unbidden slid up and down Regina's form.

The brunette got the message immediately and stopped, the sparks fading away.

Emma sighed and sank back into Regina, drawling her into a kiss. The other kisses they had shared were more chaste than not, but this was different. It started out less than chaste and only declined from there. Every second they spent kissing that heat inside Emma dissipated but was replaced by another kind, something every bit as warm, but in a different way. Either way, she loved the feeling, she wanted more.

When Regina swept her tongue over Emma's lips she almost passed out. She didn't know that such a simple thing could cause such an intense feeling. She gasped and then Regina was in her mouth, addicting as chili pepper laced chocolate. The other woman's tongue stroked every part of her mouth, revisiting those that made Emma gasp and squirm. Her hands tightened in Regina's hair to what she thought should be the point of pain, but the other woman just groaned into her mouth and the heat inside of Emma flared higher at the sound.

But as good as this felt she wanted to return the pleasure to Regina. Even just the thought of having her tongue in the knight's mouth was enough to make her heart speed up. But Regina was in charge of the kiss now, and she didn't have the heart to take it from her. She just stroked lazily against Regina's tongue as it went about exploring her mouth. There would be time for her to be in charge. They had until death to kiss and whatever else. And what was death to her when she felt so alive?

They drew apart, breathing hard. Emma's eyes fluttered open to find Regina already staring at her, pupils blow wide and eyes so dark the brown was just a shade or two lighter than the pupils. The sight sent another zing of heat through her. Gods how in the world had she stumbled into such an amazing woman?

"Wow," Emma finally said as her breath started to even out.

Regina hummed her agreement, eyes darting down to the other woman's lips.

Emma didn't miss the move at all. In a second she was up on her knees, grabbing Regina's face as she straddled her. The brunette's hands found her waist and guided her down onto her lap. Emma smiled at her before she leaned in and kissed the other woman hard. She kissed Regina for a few minutes before sweeping her tongue across the other woman's lips, seeking entrance just as Regina had.

Regina opened up willingly under her, and if Emma thought having Regina in her mouth was good, kissing the other woman like this was even better. Her senses were flooded with everything Regina, the jasmine of her hair, the sweet-hot taste of her mouth, the feel of her soft skin. She felt like she was drowning in the most exquisite way and she never wanted to surface.

A few awkward strokes of tongue and then Emma seemed to get the hang of it, drawing a few gasps and even a whimper from Regina. She shivered as the whimper vibrated against her teeth. Oh, that was even better than the groan. She set out immediately to hear it again.

Regina's hands started to slide up Emma's body from her waist. They tickled her ribs for a few seconds, causing Emma to squirm, before rising even higher, stopping just below Emma's breasts. Her fingers traced the underside of the firm flesh before a particularly bold swipe of Emma's tongue sent her hands to fully cup them.

Emma arched into the touch. Having Regina's hands against her so boldly was beyond words. She wanted more and more of it. Regina squeezed gently and Emma had to pull back from the kiss to toss her head back and moan loudly. She wasn't this sensitive usually, but Regina's touch was just too much and not enough all at once. Regina's hands explored her breasts for a few seconds more, tracing little circles around Emma's hard nipples, before migrating to her back and starting to map the skin there with careful touches.

The blonde sat forward again and lunged for Regina's mouth. She felt as if this was the only way to both stop the warmth from spreading and multiply it. She wanted both feelings. She didn't know what she wanted. Everything and nothing at all.

Regina's hands reached her ass, gave it a squeeze that had Emma arching into Regina, detaching herself from the kiss yet again. She slumped forward into the crook of Regina's neck and took several deep breaths and Regina's hands found their way back to her waist again. The need for more still thrummed through her like electricity, but it was manageable now, tempered by her need to wait. She knew if she kept kissing Regina like that, if Regina kept touching her like that, it would lead to places she wasn't quite ready to go yet. Oh, but how she wanted to be ready. The heat was addicting and so was Regina.

She pulled back and pecked Regina on the lips once. Regina smiled at her and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. Emma leaned forward and placed her forehead against Regina's.

"So that just happened," Emma said, laughing just a little.

"It did." Regina nodded against Emma's forehead.

Emma's laugh morphed into a goofy smile. "I think there should be a repeat performance soon."

Regina relaxed against Emma just slightly, enough for Emma to notice, but not be too super concerned about.

"I think so too." She leaned forward a bare inch and kissed Emma lightly.

"I knew you could kiss, but damn you can _kiss_." Emma sighed dreamily.

"Mmm, so can you, darling."

Emma snorted. "Not nearly as well. Kinda fumbled at the beginning." She felt the blush coloring her face and hoped that Regina couldn't feel it as well since she was so close.

"We all have to start somewhere. You're quite the natural, and practice makes perfect."

"This might just be practice I look forward to." She giggled.

Emma sat there for another few seconds before extracting herself from Regina's lap. She settled again on the couch, leaning against Regina. Her eyes fell on the paper and a little bit of the giddiness faded away.

"But you have to be around to practice," she whispered as the fire crackled in the background.

Regina turned and looked down at Emma, firing reflecting in green eyes. "I'll be careful, Emma, you have my promise." Her arm slid around the princess's shoulders. "I wouldn't want to throw away all that I've gained by being careless."

Emma sighed and snuggled in closer to Regina. "Ok."

"You have to be careful as well, darling."

Emma looked up at Regina this time. "I promise. I want to be alive for the rest of this to unfold. I don't think I've wanted anything more."

Regina kissed her on the forehead. "Good." She wiggled around. "Now up, I have practicing to do and so do you. We have limited time."

Emma nodded. "Yes, dear."

Regina flicked a few sparks of magic at her for her tone before going to the middle of the room and starting to focus.

Emma sighed and sat down with ink, quill, and a few sheets of paper before setting to work.

* * *

Emma sighed down at another fairly useless report. For the millionth time she wondered why someone else couldn't do them if these reports were actually needed. She was a princess she could be doing so much more than this. What ruling had to do with any of these reports was beyond her.

She glanced up around the room. No one was around her anymore. The library was always quiet around lunchtime. If she worked now for a while no one would really be around or at least pay attention to what she was working. She pulled another few sheets of paper that she'd hidden under her notes forward and started to copy her mother's hand yet again. The trick Regina had told her about had worked for the big things. Her writing had turned out very similar to her mother's, but there were still things that she was working on, things that she found that she could only really focus on while the paper was right side up. She set to work again, trying to get the curve on the e's just right on this particular draft.

The blonde froze a few minutes later when she felt a presence behind her. She slipped her work away casually and started to jot down nonsense on her notes to make it look like she was working on this piece of paper the whole time. She glanced over her work area one time just to make sure everything suspicious was covered before relaxing just slightly. She knew she shouldn't carry around the forgeries with her, but she needed all the practice she could get and her time in the library was a good opportunity during the quiet moments. Well, what were supposed to be the quiet moments. She fought the urge to glare back at whoever was behind her. Instead, she set to actually working on her report again.

A second later one of the library attendants who worked under the librarian showed up at her side. "Do you need anything else, your highness?" she asked, voice high and breathy.

Emma looked up at the slight girl, bright orange hair slipping out of her braid. "No, thank you. I've got all I need here." She smiled at the girl.

The girl nodded her head. "As you wish then, princess. Just let me know if you need anything."

"I will." Emma's eyes fell back to her work, this report on the incidences of Blue Fever in the kingdom over the last hundred years. It was a little more interesting to Emma just for the fact it wasn't a trade report. The tactics some villages took to ward off the almost always deadly disease were interesting as well as amusing at points. Whoever thought that putting on masks and flapping around like a bird when outside would ward off the disease was off their rocker.

She worked on for a few minutes before looking around again. The library was empty save for just a bare few people, mostly workers. Just as she started to slip the paper out she felt someone behind her again. She stopped her hand's movement and made to move another instead. She shook her head and went back to work like she hadn't quite found what she was looking for on that paper and hoped she had put on a good enough act.

"I saw your highness was displeased with something, is it because you don't have the resources you need?" The girl came to her side again.

Emma looked her over more carefully this time. She wasn't one of her mother's favored servants. Emma wasn't even sure she'd seen the girl before. As many servants as there were in the palace usually she had seen most of them in passing if they had worked at there for any length of time. For the girl to have noticed her behavior she would have had to have been watching closely, but if she wasn't one of her mother's watchdogs then why would she observe her so?

"No, I'm quite fine, thank you. If I really do need anything I will find for you…" she trailed off hoping the girl would give her name.

"Liza, your highness."

Emma nodded. "I'll call for you then, Liza, if I need anything at all."

The girl smiled at her again. "Thank you, princess." She curtsied and walked off once Emma was paying attention to her work again.

This time Emma worked for a much longer period of time. She knew the end of the lunch period was coming. If she wanted to get any sort of practice done today before she retired to her room she had best try again, but she held back. She looked up around the room again, but this time didn't even reach for the forgery paper, but the one just on top of it. She pulled it out and set to reading it, scribbling notes on the document on a piece of paper right beside it, but Liza did not show. Emma frowned, shrugged, and went back to work. It must have just been a coincidence then.

She set everything aside after another few minutes. She probably still had maybe twenty minutes before the scholars came back in to resume work. She slipped the paper out after another cursory glance around the room.

Liza was at her side within a second.

Emma looked up at the girl again, a scowl on her face. Another paper she was holding drifted down on top of what she had just pulled out. This couldn't be coincidence anymore. Something was wrong here.

"Liza, how long have you worked here?" she asked before the girl could speak up again.

"Just a few days, highness."

"I see. Well, since you are new here perhaps I should tell you before a rather not so nice member of council yells at you and tries to get you fired, that when people are working here they don't like to be interrupted much."

"Oh." The girl look genuinely surprised. "I'll keep that in mind, your highness, thank you."

Emma squinted at the girl. Everything about her seemed above level, but something was just tickling at the back of her mind. "Where are you from exactly?"

"Wintershollow, princess."

"Never been there."

"It's lovely this time of year. The first snow is always so beautiful."

Emma titled her head. "Wintershollow is only twenty leagues from here. It won't snow for the better part of a month yet." Her eyes narrowed. "Who are you really?" She got ready to shout for the guards when a few sparks of magic hit her. She gasped and looked up at the girl again. Orange hair looked completely out of place with that smirk that was totally Regina. "Regina?"

The girl nodded. She leaned forward just enough so no one else would hear what they were speaking of, but still far enough away that the girl wouldn't draw attention for being improper. "It was about time you realized something was off, darling. I was beginning to wonder if you were really as clever as I thought."

Emma scowled at the other woman. "How was I supposed to know you were going to play a game of cat and mouse with me dressed as a serving girl? I knew you were practicing and that was it. I didn't even realized you'd finally gotten your skin tone to change."

Regina smirked again. "I wanted to make sure I truly looked different. Can't have you humoring me in anyway. Plus I needed to test that I could hold it long enough for everything I needed to do. Both tests were successful."

Emma exhaled through her nose. There were more important things to be annoyed about she supposed than a petty trick. "And you didn't hurt yourself in any way to achieve this end?"

Regina shook her head. "No, I did make you a deal." The brunette glanced down at Emma's papers. "Though it seems perhaps it was I who needed to be more worried about you. You can't be doing such things here in the open, Emma."

"I have to practice, Regina. I was being careful. Surely in your watching you noticed that."

"Perhaps, but even you can't predict everything with just a look around the room. I know you want to perfect everything before it's time, but only practice back in our chambers, please. Your mother's wrath won't be worth it."

Emma sighed. "Ok. Fine. I'll take it back to our room when I'm done here. Happy?" She felt like sticking her tongue out at the other woman, but refrained. That was beyond inappropriate on many levels, especially since everyone just saw a servant.

"Yes, I like knowing you'll be safe."

Emma deflated a bit at that. "I enjoy knowing you're safe as well. Seems like both of us don't get exactly what we want at points."

"Yes, well, we are both quite stubborn women. Not everything can always be had the other's way."

"True enough." Emma looked around again. People were starting to file back in from lunch. "You better go before anyone thinks to question why I've been speaking to you for so long. And Regina?"

Regina cocked an eyebrow.

"You have practiced how to change back right?"

"Of course, princess."

"Thank the gods. I didn't know what we'd do if you were stuck like that."

The corners of Regina's mouth pulled up. "Not a fan of gingers, darling?"

"No, I much prefer brunettes." She let a slow, seductive smile play over her lips. "I find them quite a bit more…alluring. Though one really in particular."

"She sounds like a lucky lady, highness." Regina slipped back into the servant persona as someone started towards them.

"I like to think I'm the lucky one." Emma eyed the man heading towards them, a council member that she neither liked nor hated, a rare occurrence indeed. He was probably on his way over to discuss something from the day's meeting. She looked back at Regina. "But thank you for your help, I would've never found that information without you."

"It's my pleasure, Princess." Regina curtsied and hurried off into the stacks again leaving Emma to deal with a council member that wanted her attention.


	13. Chapter 13

And herein lies the end of super-duper asshole Snow. I know, I know, hardly believable, but true. So enjoy.

* * *

Two more days remained to pull their plan together, but Emma was certain everything would work out well enough. Regina was already able to alter her appearance for long enough to walk around the palace to get the stationary and she herself was almost done perfecting her mother's hand. A few more times through and she was sure that she could reproduce everything flawlessly.

She picked up her quill again and set to work. It was late, long after diner, and her candle was almost burned to a nub, but one more time through wouldn't hurt. Regina wouldn't be back for a while, flitting around the palace at the late hour cataloguing the new guard rotations. Despite the change in appearance Regina was still convinced that breaking in at night was the best option. There were fewer guards on duty at night, which Emma found to be rather stupid. Everything vaguely suspicious seemed to happen after the sun set, but she wasn't the one who set the guard schedule.

By the time she went through the paper once more Regina was walking through the door. The façade of the library girl shimmered for a second before fading, revealing the olive skin and brown hair Emma loved. Emma pushed her work back and got up from her desk, walking over to Regina.

"How'd it go?" Emma asked, drawling Regina into her arms.

Regina sunk into Emma tiredly. "Well enough, most everything was the same, but the guard route in the east wing has changed to everything fifteen minutes instead of every twenty, inconvenient to be sure, but nothing undoable."

"If you're sure. I only want this to go forward if you're sure that you'll get in and out without a hitch."

Regina pulled back and shot Emma a look. "We've been over this, darling. I'm sure. This scouting was part of everything to make sure I'm right. I'm being careful."

"Ok. Just…" Emma brought a hand to cup Regina's cheek. "I can't lose you. I care for you too much."

Regina leaned forward and kissed Emma gently. "I know, I love you too. Nothing is going to happen."

"I know, and yet I'm going to keep bugging you anyway until this is all done, until it's all for sure."

Regina shook her head. "I suppose I can make it through another two days of you being worried. It's quite cute in its way." She kissed Emma on the forehead. "But come, it's late. We should sleep. There's a long day of lovely council meetings and reports on top of other things."

Emma nodded and let Regina tug her along to the bedroom. She looked back at the things she had scattered on the table she had been working at and shrugged. The mess could wait until tomorrow since the candle had truly burned out while she'd been talking to Regina. Instead, she slipped out of her dress quickly and slipped into bed beside Regina and fell almost promptly into a dream about just how good it might feel to have Regina pressed up against her without any clothes between them.

* * *

She woke in the morning to a pounding on the outer door of her chamber. She wearily looked around. Regina was still sound asleep, curled on her side, hand stretched towards Emma. She looked peaceful and Emma didn't want anyone to disturb that. She quickly got out of bed, careful not to bounce Regina, and slipped on a dressing gown. She scowled as the knocking sounded again, didn't anyone know how to be patient in this palace? She hurried a little more, hoping that last round hadn't disturbed Regina.

She wrenched open the door, ready to reprimand whatever servant was at the other side of the door, but stopped short at the sight of her mother staring at her almost too calmly holding a few pieces of paper with her forged writing on them. She swallowed hard. The jig was up.

"Mother," she said, looking the other woman dead in the eye, gaze as blank as she could make it.

Her mother pushed past her without even asking admission. Emma took a step back to keep from falling on her ass, nostrils flaring. If she wasn't in one of the most precarious positions of her life she would let her mother have it for such petty actions. It was disrespectful to them both, really.

Snow White down in Emma's favorite chair and crossed her legs daintily, arms resting on the side of the chair like it was her throne. She motioned for Emma to sit in the other chair in the room straight across from her. Emma instead circled around to the couch and sat down. Her mother's eyes narrowed but she said nothing, instead setting the papers on the coffee table in front of Emma.

"Explain," was all she said to Emma before sitting back again.

Emma stared at her mother for a long moment. She had no story prepared for this. There really was no way to spin this story that made her look good. There was, however, a way to spin in so that Regina wasn't implicated in anything. She had to take the fall for this.

"Exactly what it looks like mother, I was forging your writing."

"I can tell that, but to what end?"

"Because you banned me from talking to the peasants directly this was what I was doing instead. The record keepers collect whatever information you tell them. If I forged another list of questions with just one question added no one would really be the wiser and I would get the information I wanted around your restrictions." She swallowed hard again. Her throat felt like a desert. How she was forcing words to leave her mouth was mystery.

Her mother reached forward and grabbed one of the papers. "I admit, it is quite similar, even in the early stages. You're quite good at this." She crumpled up the paper and threw it in the already lit fire. "You're also quite careless. These were sitting out on a table in this room. The maid found them earlier when she came to clean, just sitting in plain sight. She brought them to me immediately, thank the gods. I thought you were smarter than this, but I see that's not true."

Anger flowed through her, but for once she was listening to the little voice in the back of her head that told her to shut up instead of fighting. It would be better in the long run, probably anyway.

"Emma," her mother sat forward in her seat. "you tell me that Regina is making you this great princess, but do you even realize what would happen if word of this stupid move got around? It could destabilize the kingdom and invite the invasion that we've been trying to keep out by marrying you off. So you see, I'm not quite so inclined to believe you when you say Regina is so good at teaching you. You should've been listening to me this entire time and perhaps this wouldn't have happened."

"Regina knows nothing about this. It's all my idea. I never told her about it, I knew she wouldn't like the plan so I did it on my own. It wouldn't have happened if you had listened to _me_ for once. I want to make changes in the kingdom. I see the White kingdom as a grand thing for the smallest person to the noblest lord. It's already quite the good place for those of the upper class, as most kingdoms are, what I want to work on is making it better for peasants and you're stonewalling me over the tiniest things. What harm could asking a few questions do? What could talking to a few farmers do?

"Our peasants are nowhere near the most loyal subjects because they hardly ever interact with us and our laws only just allow them to live as they need. I wanted to start on the road to a better kingdom, but you call it stupid and foolish without offering any advice. I get that I'm new to all of this, that I don't know the ins and outs as well as everyone else, but being told that I'm stupid instead of offering actually constructive criticism isn't a way to teach me.

"Regina is a good teacher because she listens to me. She may call me foolish, but she tells me what I need to do differently. And yes, I may be biased because she agrees with me, but no one who disagrees with me has anything to teach. That's why I did this, because this kingdom needs to change, and I'll see it become what it needs to be no matter how I have to get it there." Emma looked at her mother, posture straight and commanding, eyes daring her to contradict anything she had just said.

"Through war, Emma? Because that's what this kind of tactic is leading us to and that's good for no one in this kingdom. That's what you're failing to see here. I've blocked your ideas because it's not the right time. Change is good when there is time for it, but right now our kingdom, as you've pointed out to me so many times before, is on the verge of bankruptcy and war. Change is not what we need right now. We need to be on more stable ground before anything can be done."

"But that kind of thinking is what keeps everything the same!" Emma gripped the arm of the couch hard. "That's what you're not seeing. The system we have is what got us here. If we change it, then perhaps we wouldn't be bankrupt and on the edge of chaos. I get that you can't risk everything at once, I do, but if you would just let me do something small, anything at all, then maybe we could find some sort of solution."

Snow White shook her head. "I won't let you do anything after this stunt." She grabbed the papers left on the table and threw them in the fire. "Starting today you will stop attending council meetings until I see fit. Regina will go in your stead, as much as I'm not fond of the idea, if she really had nothing to do with this little plan of yours then one of your should be present at least for appearances. Your trip with the record keepers is cancelled. I'll be going in your stead to get the information you need as well as make sure you try nothing else foolish. You're still bound within the palace until I return. After that everything will be reevaluated based on reports from servants around the palace about your behavior and we'll see where we stand from there."

Snow stood and started to make her way out of the room. "I know we haven't been on the best standing as of late, Emma, but you have to see that every decision I make has consequences which you're only beginning to understand. Perhaps I haven't been a good teacher and maybe a little too stubborn and stuck in my ways and maybe we can change that together when I get back, but this is how it has to be for now." She glanced at her daughter once more before departing.

Emma just sat and stared at the door for a long time. She didn't quite understand what had just happened. She was chided, for sure, disciplined as well, but somehow…it had almost been something of an olive branch there at the end. She wasn't sure if it was a real offer, or just something to get her to behave, but she didn't think she could let it slip past either. Somehow they had fought so much that the worst thing Emma had done had actually brought them back to a place where they might reconcile. It baffled her. How had this even happened? She wasn't sure she'd understand if she sat and thought about it for the next century.

Regina came out to the sitting room in the middle of her reverie and sat down beside her. She looked at Emma concerned, laying a hand on her arm. Her expression grew a little more frantic when Emma didn't respond. She shook the blonde gently.

Emma managed to look at her wife. She swallowed once and then again. She couldn't speak. Words would fail her anyway, she was sure. Instead she put a hand on top of the one Regina had on her arm and squeezed.

"Emma, what's wrong? Did something happen?" Regina's other hand came up to cup her face. "Are you hurt? Did I sleep through some sort of attack?"

The pain on Regina's face at the last question hurt Emma as well. She couldn't stand to see the other woman feel such a horrid emotion. Words rushed out of her mouth just to take the expression of Regina's face. "No, no, gods no. I'm…not fine, I think, but I might be, if that makes any sense to you."

Regina relaxed a little bit. "Well, what's the matter then? You had such an almost… distraught look on your face."

Emma sighed. She could feel the words at the back of her throat now, ready to come out, if only she found the right order. "My mother, she was here," Emma said slowly.

"You didn't have a fight, did you? Surely I would've woken for that." Regina sat forward and took both of Emma's hands.

"It wasn't a fight, not really. I'm not sure what it was. It just, it was an argument, but not an uncivil one for once. There were no raised voices. There were no insults. We just talked. I'm not sure how."

"Why was she even in here?"

Emma looked up at Regina. "She found out about our plan. I took the fall for all of it, she has no idea you even knew about it. We're not going on the trip because of it. But even still, after all of that, she should be more furious than ever, but she wasn't. She actually explained things to me in a reasonable tone and didn't blame it all on you. It was the strangest thing. And then at the end of all of it she offered an olive branch for when she returns. Or at least I think it is. She told me that maybe she hadn't been a good teacher and too stubborn and that maybe we could work together on that when she got back. Is that an olive branch?" She looked at Regina like she held all of the answers.

The corners of Regina's mouth pulled up just slightly. "I think you've finally tipped down off the precipice, and on the right side of it, darling. It's an olive branch. But I think that you'll have to work just as hard as she will to maintain the peace."

"You're sure?" Emma laced her fingers through Regina's.

"As sure as I can be. Your mother has proved to not be the most predictable or smartest, but I know she does love you. I don't know about this set her on the right path to reconciling with you, but I'm glad it's happened."

Emma nodded. "I am, but like, I'm really angry at her still, but…" she trailed off. She didn't know what she meant.

"Mothers can make you the maddest of any person on the earth. They know exactly what buttons to push and when to push them for the most effect. They're the person who knows you best. And as much as you hate them, you still want their approval and love, as I've said before."

"Yeah, it's just confusing now that there's a chance. It was less confusing when we were locked in almost a battle. Battle comes with rules and now those are thrown out the window."

Regina leaned forward and kissed Emma on the forehead. "You'll figure them out again. I have faith. You'll set your own rules and figure out your mother's quickly enough. I think you've both established what's important to each of you already. It might be hard to find a balance, but it'll be there."

Emma leaned into the other woman. "I hope." She sighed heavily. "But now we're a little set back in that whole thing about helping the peasants. And we're still bound to the palace for who knows how long. And I'm banned from council meetings until further notice, you're going in my stead since you had nothing to do with the plan."

Regina made a displeased noise. "That won't teach you anything, to be banned like that."

"She has to do something more to punish me, I suppose. Putting me in a position of power while she's gone isn't exactly something to give to someone being punished. I'm sure she's come up with another reason why I'm being taken off the council. From how she made it sound this all could sort of destabilize the kingdom." Emma shrugged. "She did kind of have a valid point there, I guess, even if I don't like it."

Regina gasped. "Gods, she does, how did I not see that?" She pulled back from Emma.

"We were both a little caught up in the end goal but not the consequences I guess."

"I can't afford to be like that, I never have to able to. I'm so stupid."

Emma grabbed the other woman's shoulders. "Regina, we all make mistakes."

"I can't, my mother will take any mistakes we make and she will use them against us. We have to be perfect, Emma, absolutely perfect."

"But she didn't even show up to the wedding, how do you know she's even watching us?"

Regina swallowed. "I just, I have a feeling, Emma. She may not be here, but she's out there somewhere."

"Of course she is, but how long will it take you to relax when she doesn't show up and doesn't show up? You can't keep worrying about this forever."

"I have for the last five years, what's stopping me now when she actually knows exactly where I am?"

"I am." Emma stroked Regina's hair, still loose down her back from sleeping.

Regina looked up. "I love you, that worries me even more. She thinks love is weakness. She'll use it against me and kill you and make me watch."

Emma drew Regina into her arms. "Hush, my love, we can't worry about things we don't know about, only plan contingencies just in case, and we've already done that. Worry about everything about your mother when there's something to worry about." She froze a little bit. Had she just called Regina her love? She wasn't quite sure.

Regina relaxed into her slightly. "I'm going over everything again."

"Ok, I'll help you. I'll have the time. I won't let anything happen to you."

"You can't promise that." Regina shuddered against Emma.

"Neither can you, really, and yet you do and it always makes me feel better."

Regina nodded into Emma's chest. "Me too," she said in a small voice.

Emma pulled Regina up off the couch. "Come, you have a council meeting to go to."

Regina followed her willingly regaining composure by the second and when she was finished dressing and out the door it was like nothing had ever happened at all.

* * *

Emma was the perfect princess, seeing her mother off at the gates to the palace with her small entourage with her father at her side. He was going to take care of the everyday affairs while her mother was gone with the councils help. While she understood why she wasn't the one in charge she couldn't help but think that now would be a perfect opportunity to learn just what it took to run the kingdom from day to day. Perhaps on her mother's next trip she would gain enough trust back to do so.

Her mother hugged her goodbye, giving her one last piercing look that screamed for her to behave before her face softened again. She squeezed Emma's arm once before turning to her father and kissing him on the cheek. With that she mounted her horse and her little procession was off to the next village over to meet the record keepers.

Regina appeared at her side as soon as her mother's horse turned the corner and rode out of sight. "That went quite well."

Emma shrugged. "As can be. I still got the death glare, but no shouting matches in public, not that any of our arguments really were in public. As much as anything isn't in public for royalty anyway." She turned towards the palace.

"Emma!" Her father called from behind the both of them, brushing his hands off on his tunic, leaving a smear of dirt on the bright red.

Emma smiled, her father never could quite keep clean when he was out in the yard. He always was inspecting the animals there and feeding them or, if not that, then sword fighting with the guards. He really was the shepherd king and that wasn't an insult like so many thought it was.

"Yes, father?"

He jogged up to them and smiled at Regina before speaking to Emma. "I know your mother banned you from council meetings, but we all know that politics isn't my strongest suit. I was wondering if you might help out? I know you want experience and I don't want to burn everything to the ground while you're mother is gone. She'd never forgive me."

Emma laughed at that. "No, I don't think she would." She bit her lip. "But I don't want to anger her any more than I already have."

"She did give me permission to call on the both of you for help if need be." He looked between Regina and Emma. "She didn't say I had to wait until I absolutely needed it. By that point I think it might be a bit late don't you?"

Emma was torn. This was exactly what she wanted and exactly what she didn't need. The story going around the palace about why she was being punished and forbidden from going on the trip was much tamer than what she had actually done, what was sneaking out of the palace to her garden in comparison to forgery and borderline treason? But still, if she did this then she would be rather publically defying her mother's will again. Reconciliation was so close and she hadn't quite understood how they had gotten there and she wasn't sure she could get there again. Her mother was more important than a few weeks of ruling experience. If she and her mother made up then she would get that anyway.

"I'll tell her it was all my idea and that you only did it to help your father if she gets angry," her father continued, seeing her reluctance.

Emma glanced over at Regina. The other woman shrugged subtly. Gods damn it this wasn't one of the things that she wanted Regina to let her make her own decision on, but she was. Then her father shot her the same puppy dog eyes that had broken every single one of her nannies when she was small and she groaned.

"Fine, fine, but you are taking all of the heat if mother gets mad and you have to make it well known to the court that the only reason I'm stepping back in is on your request and not of my own volition."

Her father nodded eagerly. "Done."

She glared and sighed at her father. "You know, after twenty-three years of ruling beside mother you would be fine ruling on your own for a few weeks."

"Your mother makes all the final decisions, I just contribute a different perspective. She's the one who knows how to handle the upper class types. I have no idea, wasn't exactly in my upbringing." He shrugged. "Animals are better company and don't kick you just because they want to hurt you."

Emma snorted at that. "True enough, but you aren't as dumb as you make yourself out to be and we both know it."

There was a twinkle in his eye as he stepped around them and headed back towards the palace. "Who's to know?" He called over his shoulder.

"Brave man, your father, to want to face the wrath of your mother just for you," Regina said watching her father's retreating back.

Emma laughed. "Not really, mother can't stay mad at him for longer than a day. He'll come in and kiss her on the cheek and all will be better again. But he always has been a good father, risking whatever was needed to get me what I deserved." She smiled fondly. "The one man on earth who would've been happy as a peasant ended up a king."

"The world works in funny ways." Regina started walking towards the palace.

Emma hurried to catch up with her. She looked over at Regina and looped her arm through the other woman's. "Yeah, it does, but I don't think that's a bad thing sometimes." She squeezed Regina's arm and lead them back towards the palace.


End file.
